Geneva Academy
18 September 2020
At an online event organized by the Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP) and the World Blind Union (WBU), United Nations (UN) civil servants, members of UN treaty bodies, diplomats, experts, academics and members of the WBU community discussed the results and recommendations of a WBU report that highlights the greater impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blind and partially sighted persons.
‘Participating in these kinds of events forms part of our activities aiming at disseminating human rights knowledge to a larger audience – beyond the traditional human rights circles and organizations –, at addressing current human rights challenges and at bringing a various stakeholder at the table’ explains Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.
The GHRP notably advised the WBU on how to better introduce and present its report to a larger audience – identifying key stakeholders – and hosted the event on its conference platform to make it accessible in several languages and through sign language and closed captioning.
The webinar focused on the human right of people who are blind or visually impaired during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WBU report, which provides segregated data, specific examples and testimonials allowed for key discussions on the human rights impact of COVID-19 and specific measures to take to alleviate it.
OHCHR
Via its DHRTTDs Directory, the Geneva Human Rights Platform provides a comprehensive list and description of such key tools and databases. But how to navigate them? Which tool should be used for what, and by whom? This interview helps us understand better the specificities of the December highlight of the directory: The National Recommendations Tracking Database (NRTD).
SPC
In November, our Geneva Human Rights Platform – in partnership with the Pacific Community and the Commonwealth Secretariat – conducted its third and final UN human rights treaty body follow-up review pilot in Nadi, Fiji.
The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributes to this review process by providing expert input via different avenues, by facilitating dialogue on the review among various stakeholders, as well as by accompanying the development of a follow-up resolution to 68/268 in New York and in Geneva.
Olivier Chamard/Geneva Academy
Geneva Academy
Geneva Academy