Fostering dialogue on human rights under UNESCO’s mandate

As co-organizer and key stakeholder of the Geneva Human Rights Dialogues, the Swiss Commission for UNESCO (SCU) is pleased to present the summary report and video of the second Dialogue, which was dedicated to the Right to Science.

This thematic dialogue was held on 25 and 26 April 2022 and brought together UN officials, UN Special Rapporteurs, NGOs and academics. It is part of a dialogue series that the SCU launched in 2021 in collaboration with the OHCHR, UNESCO, the University of Geneva and the REGARD network to strengthen approaches and foster partnerships for the respect and implementation of human rights related to education, science, culture, communication and information.

The Right to Science, access to scientific knowledge and its benefits, scientific freedom and the safety of scientific researchers are increasingly receiving more and more attention. The open-ended discussions, based in part on a background paper developed specifically for the workshop, were incredibly rich and constructive and underlined the value of a cross-sectoral thrust at UNESCO.

The Dialogue was structured around three segments: current trends and challenges for the Right to Science, existing human rights mechanisms, and lessons learned from partnership approaches. The synthesis report includes 16 key messages and key actions that were identified during the discussions.

To access the summary report, please click here, and watch the video here.

In 2020, the Swiss Commission for UNESCO (CSU) together with the UNESCO Geneva Liaison Office and the University of Geneva launched a new initiative aiming at enhancing learning about human rights-based approaches and partnerships in the areas covered by UNESCO’s mandate (education, science, culture and communication).Human rights are central to UNESCO’s vision and mandate and are enshrined in UNESCO’s 1945 constitution -  the first UN agency to place the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the core of its action. The Dialogues, held under the Chatham House Rules, aim to serve as a basis to understand key issues and developments and sharing ideas for cultural cross-fertilization and support for regional and universal human rights mechanisms. Key lessons are distilled in summary documents for the wider science and policy community. The Dialogues are organized by a core-group of professionals from UN agencies, NGOs and academia, chaired by Peter Bille Larsen (University of Geneva and the Swiss National Commission). The first Dialogue workshop on the Right to Freedom of Expression took place on 17 September 2021, and the second Dialogue on the Right to Science is set to take place shortly after Easter 2022.