1st Meeting, 4th Session Forum on Human Rights…

10:00 - 10:30 Opening of the session:

•  President of the Human Rights Council, H.E. Mr. Federico Villegas, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva (by video message);

• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk (by video message);

• Chair of the Fourth session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, H.E. Ms. Patricia A. Hermanns, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Bahamas to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva.

10:30 - 13:00 Panel 1. Learning through adversity: mapping pandemic-related democratic erosion The panel will look at the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on human rights, gender equality, the rule of law and democratic processes and institutions around the world. It will focus on pandemic-related challenges to human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression and access to information, both online and offline, the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the right to participate in public affairs. It will also consider the ways in which the pandemic and emergency responses thereto affected the human rights of women, exacerbating gender-based inequalities, including the ability of women to participate in public affairs. Panellists:

• Mr. Thomas E. Garrett, Secretary General, Community of Democracies:"Democratic erosion and taking concerted action to strengthen democracy resilience - how to advance and protect democratic freedoms, strengthen democratic institutions, and expand political participation".

• Ms. Beata Balogová, Editor-in-chief of SME, a major daily and news outlet in Slovakia, former Vice-Chair of the executive board of the International Press Institute:"Effect of COVID-19 responses on free, independent, and pluralistic media – the cornerstone of democratic societies".

• Ms. Raissa Belintani, Coordinator of the Strengthening Democratic Space Programme at Conectas Human Rights:"Impact of the pandemic and emergency responses thereto on women, in particular, on the right to participate in public affairs and in public decision-making".

• Mr. Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association:"Impact of the pandemic on the freedoms of peaceful assembly and of association, both online and offline".

Discussion:

• H.E. Mr. Federico Villegas, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
• Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
• H.E. Ms. Patricia A. Hermanns, Chair of the Fourth session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Bahamas to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
• Mr. Thomas E. Garrett, Secretary General, Community of Democracies
• Ms. Beata Balogová, Editor-in-chief of SME, a major daily and news outlet in Slovakia, former Vice-Chair of the executive board of the International Press Institute
• Ms. Raissa Belintani, Coordinator of the Strengthening Democratic Space Programme at Conectas Human Rights
• Mr. Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
• H.E. Ambassador Răzvan-Victor RUSU, Romania (on behalf of a group of countries)
• Ricardo Kellman, Chargé d'affaires of the Permanent Mission of Barbados, Barbados (on behalf of the CARICOM Group in Geneva)
• European Union, Pierre Minard
• International Organization for the Right to Education and Freedom of Education (OIDEL), Arja Krauchenberg
• Ordo Luris Institute for Legal Culture, Weronika Przebierała
• Maat for Peace, Development and Human rights Association, Eslam Ragab
• Geneva International Centre for Justice (Joint Statement with Meezaan Center for Human Rights), Martin Browne
• Border Violence Monitoring Network, Tegan Louis-Puttick
• Arte-magna international – ASBL, Leonel Juvier
• Cuba (Point of Order)
• Arte-magna international – ASBL, Leonel Juvier
• Cuba (Point of Order)
• International association for human rights and social development (AIDHES), David Ricardo Lopez Torres
• Peru, Vanessa Aliaga
• China Foundation for Human Rights Development, Lu Haina
• Mr. Thomas E. Garrett, Secretary General, Community of Democracies
• Ms. Beata Balogová, Editor-in-chief of SME, a major daily and news outlet in Slovakia, former Vice-Chair of the executive board of the International Press Institute
• Ms. Raissa Belintani, Coordinator of the Strengthening Democratic Space Programme at Conectas Human Rights
• Mr. Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association