Human Rights in Crises – Vienna +20 CSO Conference
Vienna/Heidelberg, 4 June 2013 – Members of the global human rights movement will convene in the Austrian capital of Vienna for a series of events from June 24-28 to reclaim the primacy of human rights.
Approximately 120 human rights activists from over 50 countries worldwide are expected to participate in a civil society conference entitled “Human Rights in Crises”, in the House of the EU on 25-26 June.
Basic human rights are too often sacrificed in the wake of multiple crises, and crucial policy achievements made over the last 20 years are threatened.
Vienna+20 commemorates the Second World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in June 1993, a landmark with regard to the realization and advancement of human rights. At that time, thousands of people gathered in Vienna to participate in the discussion and adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action, an important instrument for the global human rights movement. Twenty years later, there is reason to revive this consensus, as there is reason for concern.
The focus of the civil society conference will be to evaluate the last two decades, to analyze the current status of human rights, and to strengthen the human rights movement by jointly addressing the new challenges.
The Conference will adopt a Vienna+20 CSO Declaration. Key issues to be discussed include women’s rights; human rights in a globalized world; human rights alternatives to austerity; human rights regulation of companies; workers’ rights; the right to food; the rights of indigenous peoples, peasants and fisherfolk; refugee and minority rights; torture; the post 2015 agenda; access to justice and the strengthening of the international human rights system. On all these issues, experts from civil society organizations will be available for interviews in Vienna.
The Vienna+20 CSO Declaration will also be presented at the conference hosted jointly by the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled “Vienna +20 – Advancing the Protection of Human Rights”, on 27-28 June.
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For more information and a schedule of events, please visit the website.
For media inquiries and press accreditation, please email Brigitte Reisenberger or call+43 (0)1 23 50 239 11.