2nd Meeting, 4th Session Forum on Human Rights…

15:00 – 16:00 Focused discussion 1. State of democracy worldwide in the post-pandemic context

• Mr. Staffan Ingemar Lindberg, Professor of the Department of Political Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Founding Director of the V-Dem Institute (University of Gothenburg), Principle Investigator of the V-Dem Project (Varieties of Democracy).

16:00 – 18:00 Panel 2. Building blocks of building back: developing stronger institutions and fostering trust in government Discussions will be focused on specific tools aimed at strengthening democratic institutions, specifically on stronger parliamentary and judiciary oversight, including in terms of diversity and representation; increased access to justice and legal remedies, including online; the recognition of informal justice mechanisms compliant with the rule of law; fostering respect for the principle of separation of powers and the importance of an independent judiciary. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic will be used to explore ways to increase public trust and confidence in the public sector, and thereby enhance the legitimacy and public ownership of State decisions. Panellists:

• Mr. Charles Fombad, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria; Director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa: "Post-pandemic Africa: How can we build stronger institutions and foster trust in governments".
• Mr. Chris Thornhill, Professor of Law, University of Manchester: "Executive power and the role of international human rights law in post-pandemic democratic recovery".
• Ms. Claudia Escobar Mejía, Guatemalan lawyer and former judge; Distinguished visiting professor at George Mason University in the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC); Executive Director of the organization Be Just: "Empowering judges and fostering reliable judicial institutions".
• Ms. Hon. Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, member of the House of Representatives of Indonesia: "Strengthening parliamentary oversight, including in terms of diversity and representation".

Discussion:

• 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. Staffan Ingemar Lindberg, Professor of the Department of Political Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Founding Director of the V-Dem Institute (University of Gothenburg), Principle Investigator of the V-Dem Project (Varieties of Democracy)
• China
• Iraq, Abdullateef Mohammed
• Mr. Chris Thornhill, Professor of Law, University of Manchester
• Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)
• Mr. Staffan Ingemar Lindberg, Professor of the Department of Political Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Founding Director of the V-Dem Institute (University of Gothenburg), Principle Investigator of the V-Dem Project (Varieties of Democracy)
• Mr. Charles Fombad, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria; Director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa
• Mr. Chris Thornhill, Professor of Law, University of Manchester
• Ms. Claudia Escobar Mejía, Guatemalan lawyer and former judge; Distinguished visiting professor at George Mason University in the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC); Executive Director of the organization Be Just
• Ms. Hon. Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, member of the House of Representatives of Indonesia
• Ukraine, Yevheniia Kononenko
• Cuba, Greisy Cordero Suarez
• France, Bernard Derebergue
• Algeria
• International Development Law Organisation (IDLO), Arsen Khanyan
• International Organization for the Right to Education and Freedom of Education (OIDEL), Josyane Zingg
• Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture, Weronika Przebierała
• Maloca Internationale, Leonardo Rodriguez
• Catalan National Assembly, Eva Pruneda
• Amnistia i llibertat, Gabriel Cursach Perona
• Coppieters foundation, Anwen Elias
• Red nacional de derechos humanos, Olivero Asdrubal Jose
• International Association for Human Rights and Social Development (AIDHDES), David Ricardo Lopez Torres
• George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Cuneyt Gurer
• Federal centre for educational legislation, Dmitrii Bondarenko
• Mr. Charles Fombad, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria; Director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa
• Mr. Chris Thornhill, Professor of Law, University of Manchester
• Ms. Claudia Escobar Mejía, Guatemalan lawyer and former judge; Distinguished visiting professor at George Mason University in the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC); Executive Director of the organization Be Just
• Ms. Hon. Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, member of the House of Representatives of Indonesia
• China