INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADOPTION BY THE UN OF THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS (INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS)
“The ideal of free human beings enjoying civil and political freedom and freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his civil and political rights, as well as his economic, social and cultural rights”.
- This Conference is jointly convened by the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) and by the Portuguese Association of Democratic Jurists (PADJ). It will be held in Lisbon on 10, 11 and 12 November 2016. Its aim is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations of the International Covenant on Social. Economic and Cultural Rights and of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
- The main theme of the Conference will be: “The International Convenants on Human Rights (ICESCR and ICCPR) adopted by the UN on 16 December 1966: historical significance; political and legal impact; and fortunes”.
- The Conference will have both plenary sessions and panel discussions, according to the following rules:
3.1. There will be an opening plenary session on 10 November and a closing plenary session on 12 November (afternoon). The topics for these sessions and their keynote speakers will be announced by the organising committee in due time.
3.2. On 11 November (whole day) and 12 November (morning only) the following three panels will be held:
Panel 1 – The Covenants’ historical and legal background; Suggested topics, inter alia:
– The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10/12/1948 and the International Covenants of 1966: historical significance; political and legal impact;
– Human rights and fundamental rights; indivisibility of human rights;
– International human rights law.
Panel 2 – Globalisation and human rights; Suggested topics, inter alia:
– Proclamation of rights and constraints to the exercise of rights;
– World and regional peace: current issues;
– The right of peoples to self-determination (economic, social and cultural development).
Panel 3 – The struggle(s) for human rights in today’s world. Suggested topics, inter alia:
– Struggles of peoples and their social organisations for the acknowledgment and exercise of their human rights;
– Struggles against all forms of social exclusion or differentiation (the situation of women, children, the elderly, the disabled, etc.);
– Systems for protecting human rights.
- In their papers, participants may address any subject related to the two International Covenants of 1966 and the rights proclaimed therein (such as the right to work; to an adequate standard of living; to fair remuneration, social security, healthcare, education, to take part in cultural life; the right to form and join trade unions; etc.), discussing them from the perspective of the broad topics indicated for one or the other panels.
- The Conference will be open to the participation of jurists as well as non-jurists from all over the world. The deadline for registration (using the attached registration form) is 30 September 2016.
- Participants wishing to present papers before the Conference should signal their intent at the time of registration, indicating the subjects of their choice within the broader theme of the Conference. They should also submit a summary (or, if they so wish, the full text) of their papers.
- Registration is free of charge.
- Papers should include some findings and/or recommendations to be included in the minutes of the panels and in the Conference’s final declaration.
- The Organising Committee will allocate participants to the different panels on the basis of the registration forms submitted.
- The Organising Committee may establish other ‘ad hoc’ panels besides the three panels indicated above if the variety of papers submitted justifies such decision.
- The panels will have one or more coordinators, to be appointed by the Organising Committee.
- The coordinators shall decide on the time allocated to each speaker; select the papers to be published; and draft the various panels’ findings and recommendations on the basis of the papers presented.
- The Organising Committee may invite keynote speakers, whether jurists or not, to make initial addresses to the various panels to introduce the topics to be discussed.
- The findings of the various panels will be submitted to the plenary session for final adoption.
- Papers may be presented in Portuguese, French and English.
- To make your travel arrangements and book hotel/accommodation, as well as for information concerning logistics you may contact travel agents Happy Landings: Rua da Saudade, 15 r/c esq. 1100- 582 Lisboa Portugal – t +351 217 268 818 f +351 217 268 820 m+351 911 059 952 website: happylandings.travel – email: ets@happylandings.travel
Registration Form
http://goo.gl/forms/en4f9MFAX4dsyPC42
Associação Portuguesa de Juristas Democratas a.portuguesajuristasdemocratas@gmail.com
Phone: 00351 217904060
Mobil: 00351 919153795