Human rights in development cooperation – what has been achieved and the way forward

• Date: Friday, 27 October, 2023
• Time: 10:00 – 11:30 CET
• Hosted by: Sida
• Location: Sida, Rissneleden 110, Sundbyberg and live streamed on YouTube
• Registration: Please register your participation by filling in the form at the website of Apsis

75 years ago the UN General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) - a milestone in human history. The document was drafted by representatives from all regions of the world and from different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. It is the first time humans have expressed a common understanding of human rights, equal to all, that are universally protected. The UDHR is widely recognized as having inspired, and paved the way for, the adoption of more than seventy human rights treaties, applied today on a permanent basis at global, regional and national levels.

The Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) - a conceptual framework to integrate human rights in development cooperation - celebrates its 20th anniversary. The approach seeks to identify, analyse and address inequalities, discriminatory practices and unjust distributions of power which lie at the core of development problems, impeding development progress and often resulting in groups of people being left behind.

The HRBA is applied by empowering rights holders to claim their human rights and by developing the capacity of duty bearers to meet their obligations to respect, protect, fulfil and promote human rights. It sounds like a simple idea but what does it mean in practice? Does an HRBA make development cooperation more relevant and effective? What are the implications of this approach in today’s context?

Welcome to a Development Talk where we take a closer look at the commitment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that ”all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”, and what this entails for development cooperation and the way forward.

You are invited to listen to and discuss with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on his first visit to Sweden since he took office.

You will get an opportunity to know more about the EU's work on Human Rights Based Approach and how safe and decent work for youth and women in Kenya's Rift Valley have been promoted through a Public Private Development Partnership based on human rights. The webinar will also highlight what occurred when Statistics Sweden imbued its work with a human rights based approach.

Take the opportunity to listen to a range of interesting speakers.

Torbjörn Pettersson, Head of Department of International organisations and Thematic Support, Sida

Anette Dahlström, Lead Policy Specialist on Democracy and Human Rights, Sida

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

• Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Chiara Adamo, Deputy Director for International Partnerships, Governance, Democracy, Gender Equality, Human Rights, European Commission
• Isaac Kiema Muema, Project Coordinator, International Labour Organization
• Jackson Obare, Regional Director, ForumCiv
• Anna Gunterberg, Programme Manager, Statistics Sweden
• Zeina Zouein, Deputy Director for Programs, International Rescue Committee Lebanon

Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs

• Helena Bjuremalm, Deputy Head, Democracy and Human Rights Unit, Sida
• Fredrik Westerholm, Strategy Coordinator and Specialist, Democracy and Human Rights Unit, Sida