High level and regional events
Human Rights 75 Initiative
High level events
The Human Rights 75 Initiative includes two pivotal events:
- Vienna high-level event on 5-6 June 2023 focusing on universality and solidarity, technology and shaping the future with human rights reinforced as a solution for global challenges.
- Human Rights 75 - High-level event on 11-12 December 2023, a culmination of the national and regional dialogues, thematic consultations and recommendations from other sectors. A pledging event and vision for the next 25 years will contribute to the 2024’s Summit of the Future. The December event will be designed as a hybrid event, allowing physical participation from 4 locations and virtual participation for all.
View high-level event photos below
Regional events
- Africa: 8 September, Addis Ababa co-hosted with the African Union, was attended by 200 participants who deliberated on the right to development as a tool for transformation and on the triple nexus of human rights, peace, and security. The outcome document pointed to the imperative for an equitable international economic order to address multiple socio-economic & political crises, and challenges in global financial architecture, debt burden & relief. See: Concept note (Word) | Outcome document (Word) | Statement
- Asia-Pacific: 11 October, Bangkok, had 253 participants, 147 in person, 106 online, focusing on regional human rights mechanisms, and the opportunities in establishing a regional human rights mechanism for Asia-Pacific. Good practices from other regional mechanisms were showcased and participants underlined the desirability of a regional human rights mechanism that can bridge the gap between national and international human rights protection systems. See: Regional Dialogue Webpage | Statement
- Middle East and North Africa: 18-19 October, Cairo with the League of Arab States, Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions, and Arab Institute for Human Rights. Nearly 200 participants reflected on the future of human rights education and the realization of a new social contract on education in Arab countries. Discussants affirmed that the right to education is an indispensable means of realizing other human rights and that technology can make education more inclusive, equitable, effective, relevant & sustainable. Linking education to labour markets was underscored. See: Concept note (Word) | Statement
- Europe and Central Asia: 20 October, Brussels, had 100 participants in person and 100 online, to discuss the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Observations made were that economic, budget, trade, and investment decisions are made without human rights considerations. Participants called for enhanced protection of environmental human rights defenders and for greater accountability for States and businesses for human rights violations linked to business. See: Concept note (PDF) | Statement | Event video
- Americas: 25-26 October, Santiago, was attended by over 80 people to address the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in accessing justice and concluded on the necessity of decolonizing approaches to indigenous peoples’ access to justice including through judicial pluralism. Indigenous peoples face discrimination and racism in their access to State justice systems and resort to indigenous justice mechanisms due to their geographic and cultural proximity. Concerns expressed on persecutions of indigenous human rights defenders, and on invasions of extractive industries. See: Concept note (PDF) | Outcome document (PDF) | Statement | Event video