2-20 September 2024
Application start 14 February 2024
Application end 29 August 2024
Application end / With visa 11 August 2024
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On 8 October 2021, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council adopted a landmark resolution recognizing for the first time the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment as an autonomous human right. This resolution paved the way for a second formal recognition by the UN General Assembly on 28 July 2022.
In parallel, UN human rights treaty bodies have increasingly recognized the impact of environmental degradation and climate change on fundamental human rights, urging states to adopt measures that protect the rights to life, health, and housing from environmental-related harms.
Litigation at national and regional levels is also gaining traction in this field. By expanding their case law through contentious jurisdiction and advisor opinions on several issues –such as transboundary environmental harm, climate change and the protection of biodiversity – courts have been playing a pivotal role in the evolution and enforcement of international environmental law and human rights law.
Such developments illustrate the growing understanding that environmental protection and human rights are deeply interconnected and that their enforcement relies on the collaborative efforts of multiple actors, encompassing international organizations, national governments, and civil society.
Participants in this training course will examine the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights and the environment, familiarizing themselves with the respective implementation and enforcement mechanisms. The course will also provide practical insights into the different UN human rights mechanisms pertinent to advancing environmental issues and protecting environmental human rights defenders. The synergies and tensions between international human rights law and international environmental law will be addressed, focusing both on substance and procedure. The key role of environmental compliance mechanisms will also be addressed, as well as the human rights angle to climate change litigation before different regional and international bodies.
The course – co-organized with EarthJustice and the Center for International Environmental Law – will draw on experts from major UN bodies in Geneva and elsewhere, as well as experts from academia, government, business and civil society.
The course is composed of two independent – although complementary – modules, meaning that participants can choose to follow the course in its entirety (Module 1 + Module 2) or to only follow Module 1 (it is not possible to apply for Module 2 only).
The programme will consist of a series of frontal lectures complemented by an interactive workshop, designed to offer a comprehensive and engaging learning experience on the intersection of human rights and environmental protection.
3 Half Days on 2, 9 and 11 of September, from 13:00 to 17:30, Geneva time, Fully Online
This module aims to introduce participants 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. It will also provide an overview of the key issues about human rights and the environment.
It will:
16–20 September 2024, 5 Full Days, In Geneva or Online
Module 2 aims to provide practical insights into the different UN human rights mechanisms pertinent to advancing environmental issues and protecting environmental human rights defenders and address the synergies and tensions between international human rights law and international environmental law.
It will:
The training course will be interactive and participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences and perspectives on the issues covered. The training sessions will include lectures and discussions with a wide range of experts as well as practical examples and case studies. Sessions will be designed to enhance substantive and practical knowledge exchange with peers and facilitators. Group exercises will also demonstrate how to apply in practice the knowledge acquired during the course.
All participants in our training course have access – ahead, during and following their course – to a dedicated community platform (on Mighty Network). This community brings together all the participants to our courses who have unlimited access to the training materials and resources shared during their course and can exchange with all the alumni of the Geneva Human Rights Platform Training Hub.
This training course is designed for staff of NGOs, development and human rights institutions, UN bodies and other international organizations, business enterprises as well as representatives of governments and members of academia.
The language of instruction during the training is English. All candidates must possess a level of proficiency in English that enables them to actively participate in the training.
Participants who complete the training course receive a certificate of participation from the Geneva Academy.
The training fee for following Module 1 is 650 Swiss Francs and includes tuition costs and course materials.
The training fee for attending Module 1 and Module 2 is 2,100 Swiss Francs and includes tuition costs, course materials, five lunches, and refreshments during coffee breaks.
All participants are responsible for their own travel costs to Geneva, including Swiss visa fees and evening meals (approximately 30 Swiss Francs per meal).
The training fee for those attending the full course online (Module 1 + Module 2) is 1,820 Swiss Francs.
There is a 30 percent discount for PhD and master students who apply for the full course. The discount is not available for applications to Module 1 only.
The fee is payable as soon as your place has been confirmed. As places on the training course are limited, participation can only be secured through the payment of the fee. In case of cancellation by the participant, CHF 200 won't be returned.
* These two discounts cannot be combined.
Applications must be submitted via this online application form, indicating whether you want to follow the full course (Module 1 and Module 2) or only Module 1.
Admission decisions for our training courses are made by our experienced lead trainers. They carefully evaluate each application and may offer acceptance, conditional acceptance, placement on a waiting list, or, in some cases, may need to decline the application.
If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact us: traininghub[at]geneva-academy.ch
Dr. Brenda Akia is a Ugandan human rights lawyer and a Member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
León Castellanos-Jankiewicz is Senior Researcher in International Law at the Asser Institute, and supervisor of the International Law Clinic on Access to Justice for Gun Violence at the University of Amsterdam Faculty of Law.
Joie Chowdhury is a Senior Attorney in the Climate & Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Loredana Cristea is a human rights lawyer registered with the Bucharest Bar, Romania.
Dr. Leslie-Anne Duvic-Paoli is a Reader in Environmental Law at King's College London
Sébastien Duyck is a senior attorney for the Center for International Environmental Law's Climate & Energy Program, and is the campaign manager for the human rights & climate change portfolio.
Isabelle Kolebinov is a Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at Child Rights International Network (CRIN).
Yves Lador works as an independent consultant, and has been mandated by Earthjustice for its representation to the UN in Geneva since 1991.
Francesca Mingrone is a Geneva-based staff attorney for the Climate & Energy Program for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Nataliya Nikiforova is an Environmental Affairs Officer at United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Seán O’Connell is Global Focal Point on Environmental Justice with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Dr. Marie Petersmann is an Assistant Professorial Research Fellow at LSE Law School
Dr. Thamil Venthan Ananthavinayagan is Senior Legal Advisor to the Minister of Justice and Assistant Principal at the Department of Justice, Republic of Ireland.
Tram 15, Direction Nations - tram stop Butini
Bus 1 or 25, Direction Jardin Botanique - bus stop Sécheron
Villa Moynier is accessible to people with disabilities. If you have a disability or any additional needs and require assistance in order to participate fully, please email info[at]geneva-academy.ch
This course will be conducted online using the ZOOM platform.
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