Registration for the 2021 Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform is Open!

2 September 2021

Registration for the 2021 Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform that will take place online and in Geneva on 12 October 2021 is open.

This one-day public event is open to all human rights actors in and outside Geneva – diplomats, experts, practitioners, civil society representatives, members of UN treaty bodies, UN Special Rapporteurs, international organizations, National Human Rights Institutions and academics.

The Connectivity Between National Human Rights Actors and UN Human Rights Mechanisms

‘National human rights actors play a crucial role in the implementation of international human rights law (IHRL). Their engagement with the UN human rights system is key to ensure follow-up of recommendations at the national level. Our conference aims at exploring this connectivity and discussing it in relation to specific issues’ explains Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

The conference is organized around two plenary panels in the morning, four parallel thematic sessions in the afternoon and a concluding session at the end of the conference.

From the Role of New Technologies in Implementation and Monitoring at National Level to the Specific Situation of Small States

Following the keynote and introduction, the morning sessions will discuss coordination among national human rights actors and the role of new technologies in monitoring and implementation at the national level.

The four parallel thematic sessions in the afternoon will address connectivity in relation to specific issues like racism, the environment, the role of cities in implementing IHRL or the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities.

The concluding plenary panel will discuss the specific situation of small states and their interaction with UN human rights mechanisms.

‘Our objective is to trigger discussions around the key role of national human rights actors, what works, the challenges and possible best practices’ underlines Felix Kirchmeier.

More than 15 Partners

The Conference and its various panels are organized with a series of partners – academic institutions, international organizations, NGOs and other platforms.

‘It is important for us to develop these partnerships to bring expertise, knowledge and enrich the discussion with the ultimate goal to further implementation of IHRL at the national level’ says Felix Kirchmeier.

 

Partners Conference

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

Geneva Academy Briefing No.25 News

New Academy Briefing Calls for Stronger Engagement of Local and Regional Governments in Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

11 March 2025

The Geneva Academy’s latest publication explores how cities, municipalities, and regional authorities are becoming key players in global human rights governance.

Read more

ECHR Logo News

In Highlight: ECHR Knowledge Sharing Platform

13 May 2025

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 current highlight of the directory: ECHR Knowledge Sharing Platform

Read more

AI for Good Event Event

AI for human rights: Smarter, faster, fairer monitoring

8 July 2025, 14:00-16:00

The event, as part of the AI for Good Summit 2025 will explore how AI tools can support faster data analysis, help uncover patterns in large datasets, and expand the reach of human rights work.

Read more

United Nations Geneva Event

‘Urgency Measures’ to face a triple crisis – what insights can be taken from the Treaty Body strengthening process?

4 June 2025, 13:30-15:00

This side event represents a critical opportunity to reflect on the innovative approaches taken through the treaty body strengthening process and to consider the future direction of the treaty body system.

Read more

Training

Human Rights and the Environment: Introducing Legal Regimes and Key Issues

1-8 September 2025

Participants in this training course will be introduced to the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights, as well as international environmental law and its implementation and enforcement mechanisms.

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

Project

Follow-up Review Pilot Series

Started in November 2021

Read more

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more