Belfast to hold international Human Rights conference

A major conference, bringing together over 20 international human rights leaders from 12 countries, will take place in Belfast this weekend.

The event, which runs from 30 January to 3 February, is part of a programme by the British Council to develop an effective network and support system for national human rights commissions across the Commonwealth and is supported by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The conference, organised in partnership with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, is aimed at exchanging good practice between chief executive officers and senior managers in the effective management of human rights commissions.

Colm McGivern, Director of the British Council in Northern Ireland, said: “We are delighted that so many Commonwealth countries will be represented at this important event in Belfast.

“The conference will greatly assist in developing additional international mechanisms for the protection of human rights and measures of effectiveness for human rights institutions.”

Guest speakers at the conference will include Orest Nowosad, Head of the National Institutions Unit of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Professor Chris Sidoti, former Commissioner with the Australian Human Rights Commission; Professor Kwak, Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission, Korea and Richard Carver, Oxford Media Research.

(MB/SP)