HRC@20 - Side Event Track record of 20 years of standard setting by the HRC

Standard-setting remains one of the core functions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). To mark the 20th anniversary of the Council, this side event, titled 'From reflection to action', aims to highlight the concrete impact of recognised rights and explore why normative development will remain a critical function of the Council in the future.

Building upon the key takeaways from an expert roundtable held earlier in the day, this public event will assess the human rights protection impact of new standards, looking at their adoption in national laws and their enforcement.

Key issues

The discussion will focus on:

• Why standard-setting matters and the key role of the HRC.
• Achievements from the past 20 years, highlighting the concrete impact of adopted treaties and the recognition of rights.
• The future of standard-setting, identifying priority areas and remaining normative gaps.
• Lessons learned from successful processes to ensure the Council keeps responding to current needs.

Speakers

The panel will feature four speakers representing different sectors of the human rights ecosystem:

• A government diplomatic representative.
• An independent human rights expert.
• A representative from civil society (International Commission of Jurists).
• A representative from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Moderated by the Geneva Human Rights Hub.

Organisers

Geneva Human Rights Hub (GHRH) in collaboration with the International Commission of Jurists, the Association for the Prevention of Torture, the Convention against Enforced Disappearances Initiative, Costa Rica and Slovenia.