The eighth Glion Human Rights Dialogue (Glion VIII), organised by the Governments of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and the Universal Rights Group (URG), in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, and Thailand, was held on 16-17 May 2022 and focused on the topic: ‘The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment – what does it mean for States, for rights-holders, and for …
Glion V: The place of human rights in a reformed United Nations
The fifth Glion Human Rights Dialogue (Glion V), held in Chardonne, Switzerland, from 30-31 May 2018, considered the place of human rights in a modern, reformed United Nations. In particular, the Glion V retreat and its preparatory policy dialogues, looked at the human rights implications, of the ongoing UN reform process, launched in 2017 by the Secretary-General, António Guterres; and the parallel efforts of …
The place of human rights in a reformed United Nations
Note: This article is based on a keynote address delivered by H.E. Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, on Wednesday 30th June 2018, at the opening plenary of the fifth Glion Human Rights Dialogue, hosted by the Government of Switzerland and supported by the Universal Rights Group. First, let me make a few points about the Secretary General’s ongoing plans for reforming …
Are we seeing a new human rights ‘implementation agenda’?
Note: This article is based on a speech delivered by Ambassador CHOI Kyonglim, President of the Human Rights Council, on Monday 17th October 2016, at an event hosted by the Governments of Norway and Switzerland, supported by the Universal Rights Group, to mark the launch of the report of the third Glion Human Rights Dialogue. I will touch on three …
Glion III: Human rights implementation, compliance and prevention
In 2006, the then UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, called on the Council to lead the international community from “the era of declaration” to “the era of implementation.” As the Council marks its 10th, and the two human rights Covenants their 50th anniversaries, there are important signs that UN Member States are increasingly turning their attention to the question of implementation, and how best …
Economic, social and cultural rights: exploding myths and building consensus
Beyond matters touching upon religion or belief, or on so-called ‘traditional values,’ it is difficult to think of an issue that divides members of the Human Rights Council (the Council) as much as the perceived disconnect between the importance placed on civil and political rights on the one hand, and economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs) on the other. Twenty …
Reflections on the Human Rights Council: the Way Forward
In October 2013, before taking office as the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office in Geneva, I led the Chinese delegation that participated in our second cycle review under the Universal Periodical Review (UPR). The review took place, of course, in Room 20 of the Palais des Nations, and I was deeply impressed by the colourful ceiling designed by the …
The Glion Human Rights Dialogue
The Glion Human Rights Dialogue is an annual high-level retreat, hosted by the Governments of Norway and Switzerland, which brings together around sixty senior policy-makers and other stakeholders in an informal, non-attributable setting designed to promote open, forward-looking and solutions-focused debate. The Glion Human Rights Dialogue provides a platform for representatives of states, OHCHR, the wider UN, and other key …
