UN meeting: Building Back Better toward a renewed social contract Investing in a human rights-based recovery from COVID-19 and implementation of the 2030 Agenda

GENEVA (13 January 2021) – A Human Rights Council-mandated meeting on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, highlighting good practices and discussing recommendations for gender-focused and human rights-based recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, will take place in virtual format on Tuesday 18 January from 10:00 to 12:00 CET.

Prime Minister Mirtha Esther Vásquez Chuquilín of Peru and Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, will address the meeting with high-profile experts from Member States, the United Nations and civil society. Lansana Gberie, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and Ambassador to Switzerland of Sierra Leone, will chair the meeting, which will be webcast.

The meeting focuses on Sustainable Development Goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, and Sustainable Development Goal 17 on strengthening the means of implementation to revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Speakers include:

• Federico Villegas, President of the Human Rights Council and Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations in Geneva
• Diane Rosemary Elson, Emeritus Professor, University of Essex and Chair, Commission on a Gender Equal Economy
• Ahmad Taufan Damanik, Chairperson, National Commission on Human Rights of Indonesia
• Osnat Lubrani, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine, United Nations
• Adriana Quiñones, Director a.i., UN Women’s Liaison Office in Geneva
• Sanyu Awori, Manager of the Building Feminist Economies initiative, Association for Women’s Rights in Development

Moderator:

• Felix Kirchmeier, Manager of Policy Studies, Geneva Academy and Executive Director, Geneva Human Rights Platform

Under the theme Investing in sustainable recovery, advancing gender equality and strengthening partnerships – Towards a renewed social contract anchored in human rights, the discussion will spotlight practical experiences, achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and new ideas for implementing the 2030 Agenda in light of COVID-19 by highlighting measures to mainstream gender and address inequalities.

For further details, please visit the meeting’s webpage.

BACKGROUND

In June 2020, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 43/19 on promoting and protecting human rights and implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The resolution called for three half-day intersessional meetings for dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The second of the three half-day meetings is being held on 18 January 2022, under the theme “Investing in sustainable recovery, advancing gender equality and strengthening partnerships – Towards a renewed social contract anchored in human rights.”

CONTACTS

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For more information about the Human Rights Council, please visit its website.

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ENDS