Strengthening the cooperation and security of human rights defenders

KIOS Autumn Seminar 2015

Time: 29th September 2015, 9:00-13:00
Place: Helsinki, venue to be confirmed
Registration: By Sep 21st here OR at seminaari(at)kios.fi

A free civil society, able to promote and protect human rights, is required in any society to achieve sustainable development, peace and democracy.
However, during recent years, many governments have increasingly narrowed the space of civil societies, by limiting the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and by freezing assets of NGOs, among other ways. In some societies, extremist movements, not respecting human rights, are the main threat to human rights defenders.

The KIOS Autumn Seminar 2015 will discuss how human rights work can be amplified by strengthening regional cooperation and security of human rights defenders.

The guest speakers: Adilur Rahman Khan (Odhikar, Bangladesh), Tanveer Jahan (Democratic Commission for Human Development, Pakistan), Memory Bandera (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project), Kranti Lazarus Chinnappa (Human Rights Law Network/Socio-Legal Information Centre, India), Yona Wanjala (Defenders Protection Initiative, Uganda), Gerald Staberock (World Organization Against Torture).

The seminar will be held in English and is free of charge and open to everybody. Generally KIOS cannot provide any travel costs or accommodation for the participants.

For more information visit KIOS website or contact Ilari Lovio, seminaari(at)kios.fi, tel: +358 40 952 7924

Programme

09:00 - Coffee & registration
09:30- Opening remarks - TBC
09:50 - Keynote talk: The Shrinking Space of Human Rights Defenders - Gerald Staberock (OMCT)
10:10 - Discussion 1 – Strengthening Regional Cooperation of Human Rights Defenders - Memory Bandera (EHAHRDP, Uganda) & Kranti Lazarus Chinnappa (SLIC/India)
10:55 - Q & A
11:15 - Coffee & networking
11:45 - Discussion 2 – Strengthening the Security of Human Rights Defenders - Adilur Rahman Khan (Odhikar, Bangladesh), Tanveer Jahan (DCHD, Pakistan), Yona Wanjala (DPI, Uganda)
12:30 - Q & A
12:50 - Conclusion

Organized by: Kansalaisjärjestöjen ihmisoikeussäätiö KIOS