April 2024
EEAS
Prof. Maria Grahn-Farley and Dr. Maria Nääv held a meeting with The European External Action Service (EEAS) on the 13 of February 2024, presenting the research of HRJust.
European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s Rights
Prof. Maria Grahn-Farley and Dr. Maria Nääv held a meeting with the Secretary General of the European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s Rights on the 13 of February 2024, presenting the HRJust project
A new partner
HRJust is is happy to wlecome new partner University of Helsinki (UoH) to HRJust.
Panel on Practical Guidance on the Application Procedure in Horizon Europe & Sharing of Successful Experiences
On Feb 21st 2024, per the invitation of the Directorate General Research & Innovation, Shun-Ling Chen (Colead of WP4) presented at a virtual panel on “Practical Guidance on the Application Procedure in Horizon Europe & Sharing of Successful Experiences.” With more than 100 registrants, the panel was c-hosted by DG R&I and the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan, aiming to foster networking and collaboration among researchers based in the EU and Taiwan. Having participated in HRJust from its very beginning, Chen shared her experiences and the main challenges during the proposal drafting, Grant Agreement Preparation, as well as the implementation stages, including the administrative hurdles a first-time fully funded third-country partner may encounter
Conference: Promoting Equal and Inclusive Representation of Women in Decision-Making Systems: A Holistic Approach to Economic Empowerment
The conference on Promoting Equal and Inclusive Representation of Women in Decision-Making Systems held on 23 February 2024 at the World Trade Institute in Bern, Switzerland, brought together international organizations, policy makers, experts and civil society to address key challenges faced by women in political leadership roles and the commitments of States especially under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
The conference was organized by WP leaders Prof. Elisa Fornalé from the World Trade Institute of the University of Bern (UBERN, WP6 and WP7), Dr Federica Cristani from the Institute of International Relations in Prague (IIR, WP6 and WP7) together with GQUAL.
The conference was a unique opportunity to reflect on the topics of gender, democratic participation, international obligations of states, and more generally on how to channel a gender and more broadly an intersectionality perspective in different areas of law, with a special emphasis on democratic participation and economic empowerment. The conference was also a great opportunity to present and gather feedback and build a network of relevant stakeholders for the forthcoming Intersect Observatory (WP7).
Upcoming workshops
- On the 28 of May 2024 an external facing workshop together with key stakeholders and civil society, testing and verifying the HRJust legal theory method and mathodology for end user applicability will be held in Stockholm.
- On the 29 of May 2024 a workshop will be held in Stockholm, coshosted between Stockholm University and University of Helsinki adressing the second stage of the theory building process. During the workshop, University of Helsinki will present a human rights wide account for States obligations.
December 2023
Community of Learning
In December – as part of task 2 under WP2 – Project Coordinator Prof. Maria Grahn-Farley engaged in the the Community of Learning with the other three Horizon projects funded in the cluster, in Bruxelles. Prof. Grahn-Farley also had a meeting with member of EU Parliament David Lega to discuss HRJust method development.
Human rights Justifications – Theory
In October 26-27, Prof. Ester Herlin-Karnell of WP3 held a successful workshop with her team in Rome.
Ayelet Banai, Enzo Rossi, Claudio Corradetti Nikola Schmidt, Johanna Gipperth, Aravind Ganesh and Ester Herlin-Karnell participated during the two days event.
Method for Civil Society Engagement
In December, as part of the method for Civil Society Engagement for all WP’s, Prof. Yu-Ling, WP4, Taiwan, held a very much appreciated workshop which will be repeated in February 2024.
HRJust Workshop 2 in Stockholm, December 8th
WP2 and WP5 held a successful workshop on HRJust Method in Stockholm on December 8th together with Prof. Toumas Ojanen of University of Helsinki, Chief Legal Counsel and Policy Manager, BRIS (Children’s Rights in Society) Anna Dorrian Werner (member of the Advisory Group), Supreme Court Justice Svante Johansson (member of the Advisory Group) and Associate Prof. Linde Lindquist of the Swedish Institute for Human Rights.
WTO – Youth Trade Summit on Gender
On 13-14 November Federica Cristani, Senior Researcher Dr. at Centre for International Law, IIR, was invited in Geneva at the World Trade Ogranization to the Youth Trade Summit on Gender to give a presentation in the Technical Assistance Conference on Trade and Gender, discussing gender and international investment policies (WP6-WP7).
The event was organized by the WTO Gender Research Hub, to which Prof. Elisa Fornalé, who was also in Geneva, is a member.
From the Anthropocene to the Pluriverse: Planetary Sustainability in an Age of Global Climate Disruption
On 16 November Senior Researcher Dr. Federica Cristani, of WP6 and WP7, was invited to the public event “From the Anthropocene to the Pluriverse: Planetary Sustainability in an Age of Global Climate Disruption” at the Universität St. Gallen-Hochschule für Wirtschafts-, Rechts- und Sozialwissenschaften in Switzerland on the occasion of the 125 Jubiläum of the University – She presented as part of WP6 and WP7 the work on climate chanage and human rights.
Climate Change and Human Rights, WP6
Prof. Elisa Fornalé of WP6 attended the NY Climate Week to introduce our project to important partners and stakeholders as the Brazilian Climate Observatory, the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the Grandparents campaign. Prof. Fornalé also gave a seminar on Climate Change and Human Rights at the University of Palermo, from 27 until 29 November.
Third Party Intervention to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Climate Emergency
Together with three other scholars, Prof. Elisa Fornalé and Senior Researcher Dr. Federica Cristani of WP6 and WP7 submitted the Amicus Curiae – as part of the Request for an advisory opinion on the Climate Emergency and Human Rights submitted to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights by the Republic of Colombia and the Republic of Chile of January 9, 2023.
Expert Meeting –
Thematic Consultation on Women’s equal and inclusive representation in international decision making systems.
Prof. Elisa Fornalé of WP7 attended the Expert Meeting on Women’s equal and inclusive representation in international decision making systems: Perspectives on CEDAW’s future general recommendation no. 40 at the American University Washington College of Law, Washington DC, USA, 25–26 September 2023.
The expert thematic consultation was organized on the initiative of the GQUAL Campaign, and the Academy of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law. The consultation seeked to critically inform the drafting of the CEDAW Committee’s future General Recommendation No. 40 (GR 40) on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems, which the Committee aims to adopt at its 89th session in October 2024.
The aim of the consultation was to address this issue with a focus on the equal and inclusive participation of women in international decision making spaces, by engaging leading experts in critical fields—including international and human rights law, peace and security, multilateralism and trade, international justice, and diplomacy and foreign policy, among others—in a fruitful and dynamic exploration of the opportunities to develop the normative standards underpinning women’s fundamental rights to equal and inclusive representation in decision-making under Articles 7 and 8 of the CEDAW Convention. The meeting was held in line with the Committee’s principled approach of undertaking its work in a broadly participatory manner, which emphasizes in particular consultation with relevant experts including independent experts, NGOs, and academic institutions.
HRJust 