Keynote speakers at the 10th International Conference of NHRIs include:
- Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kyung-Wha Kang
- UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, Prof. John Ruggie
- Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights: Ethical Globalization Initiative, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The conference will close with the adoption of a final declaration and will be followed up with a series of NHRI seminars on business and human rights across the four ICC regions: Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.

For more information on the conference, click here.

Source: Human Rights and Business

The course is conducted in English, and is composed of seminars, working-group exercises and an optional written examination. The course is designed for PhD students, scholars, practitioners (e.g., law, human rights and/or development), policy-makers and advanced master’s students.

The deadline for applications is 14 September 2010. For more information click here. 

Trafficking refers to the recruiting, transporting and housing of a person under threat of violence, abduction, deception or coercion with the aim of exploitation. Especially women, children and other marginalised groups are vulnerable to practices of trafficking. Many trafficking victims end up in (forced) prostitution. Governments are obligated to protect victims of trafficking against human right violations. However, measures taken to achieve this regularly cause negative side effects and are sometimes themselves in breach with human rights standards.

In order to contribute to the elimination of the negative effects of anti trafficking policies Aim for Human Rights, in collaboration with several project partners[1], in 2008 started to develop an instrument to analyse the consequences of such policy. NGO’s and grassroots organisations can use this so-called Human Rights & Trafficking Instrument to assess the effects of anti trafficking policies on the human rights of victims and other groups affected by the policies, such as migrants and sex workers. The results of the analysis can be used to strengthen one’s lobby for improved policies. The instrument is currently being tested by 4 organisations from all over the world.

To widen the scope of the instrument a short version was developed that can be executed in a three-day workshop. By doing the basic analysis in a short workshop organisations can gather fact based arguments they can use in order to strengthen their lobby. They may elaborate on the results of the analysis themselves in a later stage.  The upcoming workshop in Finland, in which 15 representatives of various Finnish organisations will participate, is of high value for the further development of the instrument. The feedback provided by participants’ evaluations will be processed in order to improve the instrument and to make sure that it suits the specific needs of the target group.

Are you interested in more information concerning our activities on combating trafficking? Contact Loeky Droesen, tel 0031 (0)30 233 40 27 or l.droesen(at)aimforhumanrights(dot)org.

Aim for Human Rights is specialised in the development and roll out of Human Rights Impact Assessment Instruments. Its women’s rights team has access to a wide international network through which the instrument can quickly be spread to relevant organisations.

For more information go to:

www.unglobalcompact.org/issues/human_rights/Meetings_and_Workshops.html

If you would like to participate in this online discussion, please contact info(at)guidetohria(dot)org for details.

Over the last years the need for a human rights approach to trafficking in human beings has been increasingly recognised. However, instruments to assess the intended and unintended human rights effects of anti-trafficking laws and policies are lacking. The project ‘Assessment of the human rights impact of anti-trafficking policies’ seeks to address this gap by developing a tool for NGOs to assess the human rights effects of anti trafficking efforts. The outcomes will provide NGOs with evidence based information to advocate for more effective anti- trafficking policies that respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all persons affected, including trafficked persons, migrant workers and sex workers.

In December 2010 the new tool will be finalised by Aim for Human Rights in collaboration with La Strada International, La Strada Czech Republic and SCOT-PEP. As part of the development of the tool the consultative conference is organised. Currently the draft tool is tested by anti trafficking, sex workers and migrants rights organisations in the Czech Republic, UK, Indonesia, Brazil, Finland and Taiwan. The project partners will present and discuss the outcomes of these try-outs. Furthermore, the future use and dissemination of the finalised tool will be discussed during the consultation.

 The conference is intended for potential users of the tool, groups affected by anti-trafficking measures, interested organisations in the field of trafficking and human rights and donor organisations.

To receive more information about the consultation, please contact Marieke van den Berg.

At this meeting presenters will share their experience working in the field of business and human rights with particular emphasis on human rights impact assessment. Speakers will include Désirée Abrahams, IBLF and Karen Westley, Shell. Other presenters to be confirmed.

On February 1st Aim for human rights will organise a presentation for the staff of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the use of the tools. On 2nd of February members of the committee that supervises the implementation of CEDAW (the Convention for the Elimination of all Discrimination against Women) will be informed on the results achieved with the use of HeRWAI (Health Rights of Women Assessment Instrument).  The development of DOVA (Domestic Violence Human Rights Assessment Instrument) and the tool on human Rights & human trafficking: A step-by-step guide to assess the impact of anti-trafficking laws, policies and practices will be also discussed.

For Aim for human rights it is important that organisations, governments and companies have knowledge of its activities’ influence on human rights, and strive for positive effects. The use of human rights impact assessment tools can help to achieve this goal.

The course is intended for educators and trainers working in secondary schools and adult learning environments. Participants will be assisted in the development of a curriculum, training, or plan to use the skills to further their organisation’s advocacy efforts.

This course is part of the distance learning project from the Human Rights Education Associates. For more information click here

The application deadline is 1 December 2009.

NHRIs operate in many forms this can be based on their mandate, their organisational composition, or the political and legal traditions the NHRI has. The NHRIs can inform governments on matters of human rights policy, they can be working on all human rights or more specific issues. This course explores and critically reflects on national human rights institutions.

The course is part of the distance learning project from the Human Rights Education Associates. For more information click here

The application deadline is 1 December 2009.

Participants will learn how to work with human rights and how to apply these principles into project and programme development in there particular work. They will deepen their knowledge about project and programme development from a human rights perspective. The course provides participants with sensitivity to how programs can integrate non-discriminatory practices and give attention to vulnerable groups.  

The course is part of the distance learning project from the Human Rights Education Associates. For more information click here

The application deadline is 1 December 2009.