Enhancing cooperation between New York and Geneva for the protection of Children in Armed Conflict and from other Forms of Violence

GHRP Annual Conference

ICRC

This high-level panel officially launches the Geneva Human Rights Platform 2023 Annual Conference in New York.  

This panel discussion – co-organized with Switzerland, Uruguay, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict and Child Rights Connect –will highlight a number of strategic and practical opportunities to enhance connectivity in the area of protection of children in armed conflict between Geneva and New York, ranging from low-level pragmatic approaches to more structured institutional cooperation. Panelists will notably address the importance and inputs by Geneva-based human rights bodies in the New York discussions on children in armed conflicts or other situations of violence as a key example of how rights-holders can benefit from close connections between discussions in those major UN hubs.

Opening and Moderation

• Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director, Geneva Human Rights Platform, Geneva Academy for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Welcome Remarks

• Adrian Hauri, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations
• Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
• Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Head, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in New York

Panelists

• Mikiko Otani, Member and former Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
• Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children
• Amara Sowa, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations in New York
• Brigid Kennedy Pfister, Senior Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF
• Ilaria, Paolazzi, Deputy Director, Child Rights Connect
• Ezequiel Heffes, Director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict

Light Lunch

The discussion will be followed by a light lunch.

About the Geneva Human Rights Platform Annual Conference

You can find here information about the other panels/events that form part of the 2023 Annual Conference in New York.

This annual flagship public event open to all human rights actors  – diplomats, experts, NGOs, members of UN treaty bodies, Special Rapporteurs, international organizations, National Human Rights Institutions and academics – addresses current issues and challenges in the work of Geneva-based human rights mechanisms.

Disclaimer

This event may be filmed, recorded and/or photographed on behalf of the Geneva Academy. The Geneva Academy may use these recordings and photographs for internal and external communications for information, teaching and research purposes, and/or promotion and illustration through its various media channels (website, social media, newsletters, annual report, etc.).

By participating in this event, you are agreeing to the possibility of appearing in the aforementioned films, recordings and photographs, and their subsequent use by the Geneva Academy.