Where you’ll find Equality Now at the United Nations Human Rights Council 56th Session

The fifty-sixth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at the United Nations in Geneva takes place from June 18 through July 12, 2024. The Human Rights Council is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world, including by making recommendations to address human rights violations. 

Equality Now engages with the Human Rights Council by making written submissions on violations of women’s rights, making oral statements during its sessions, as well as holding bilateral meetings with government representatives, and hosting side events. 

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be involved in various events in Geneva, including those listed below: 

Where to find us at the Human Rights Council

Friday, 21 June

3:00 – 6:00 pm: Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences

Location: Room XX, UN

Host: Ms. Reem Alsalem, UN SRVAW 

Equality Now: Anna Zobnina on behalf of Equality Now, Brussels’ Call Coalition, European Network of Migrant Women, CAP International and National Council of Women Canada  will be making an oral statement on behalf of EN in response to the SRVAW report on prostitution and violence against women  

Thursday, 27 June

3:00 pm onwards: Interactive Dialogue with Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls

Location: Room XX, UN, and live-streamed on UN TV

Host: UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls (UN WG DAWG)

Equality Now: Hyshyama Hamin, Campaign Manager, Global Campaign For Equality In Family Law (GCEFL)  will be making a statement in support of the WG DAWG’s report on ‘Escalating backlash against gender equality and urgency of reaffirming substantive equality and the human rights of women and girls’

Friday, 28 June

10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women (HRC res. 6/30 and 53/27) – morning panel 

Location: Room XX, UN, and live-streamed on UN TV 

Host: UN Human Rights Council

Equality Now: Esther Waweru, Senior Legal Advisor, Legal Equality 

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women (HRC res. 6/30 and 53/27) – afternoon panel on Human Rights Economy and Women’s Rights

Location: Room XX, UN, and live-streamed on UN TV 

Host: UN Human Rights Council

Equality Now/Global Campaign for Equality in Family Laws : Hyshyama Hamin, Campaign Manager, Global Campaign For Equality In Family Law (GCEFL) 

Wednesday, 3 July

2:00 – 3:00 pm:  Effective Strategies to Address Cross-Border and Transnational Female Genital Mutilation 

Location: Room XXII, UN, and live-streamed on UN TV

Host: Co-sponsored by Equality Now, The Permanent Missions of Burkina Faso, The Gambia, and the United Kingdom, OHCHR, and the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM. 

Equality Now: Divya Srinivasan, Global Lead, End Harmful Practices, Moderator. Equality Now will also be joined by our partners Mariya Taher, Executive Director, Sahiyo and Dr. Isatou Touray, Executive Director, GAMCOTRAP on the panel. 

If you cannot attend the Human Rights Council events in person, follow our social media channels (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook) or sign up to our email list. We look forward to connecting in person and virtually.

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• Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law (GCEFL): Twitter | LinkedIn