ICCPR Follow-Up Conference
This event happened on 6 April 2009
Review of Event
FLAC, ICCL and IPRT recently hosted the ICCPR follow-up conference entitled Implementing Human Rights in a Time of Change: Facing-Up to Challenges under the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
In July 2008, Ireland was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Committee under the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). As a result, the Committee produced its observations and recommendations as to how Ireland should best progress the developments already made to further the civil and political rights agenda in the State.
Together with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Irish Penal Reform Trust, FLAC hosted a conference, the aim of which was to ensure that the ICCPR process is not forgotten with the issuance of the Committee's recommendations; focus must be maintained on the implementation of the recommendations and in raising awareness of both the process and the recommendations in Ireland. The conference was very well attended with almost 150 guests.
Keynote speakers at the event were UN Human Rights Committee members:
- Judge Elisabeth Palm, Rapporteur on Ireland and former judge of the Swedish courts and former Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights and
- Professor Michael O'Flaherty, Co-Director of the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Nottingham and the Irish elected member of the UN Human Rights Committee
The morning session of the conference was chaired by Dr. Maurice Hayes, Chairman of the National Forum on Europe. Tanya Ward, Deputy Director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties provided an overview of the involvement of the three host organisations with the shadow reporting process and James McIntyre of the Dept. of Foreign Affairs delivered a brief statement from the Human Rights Unit.
At the afternoon session, chaired by incoming Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland, Susan McKay, there was a panel of three speakers followed by an open discussion forum. The panel of speakers included Éamonn MacAodha, Chief Executive of the Irish Human Rights Commission and Michael Farrell, Senior Solicitor at FLAC and Dr. Siobhan Mullally of UCC. They were joined by the speakers from the morning session for an engaging open forum where a wide range of interested groups gave their views.
Please see www.rightsmonitor.org for conference documentation.
Venue
Radisson SAS Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8