Pacific and UN partners will gather for a dialogue on National Human Rights Insitutions’ role in promoting people-centred development

Where: Punanga Nui Market RAROTONGA, Cook Islands

When: Tuesday 7 November, 2.30 - 4.00pm, Cook Islands time (Wednesday 8 November, 12.30 – 2pm Fiji time)

The media and members of the public are invited to commemorate the 75th Anniversary year of the of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on the margins of the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leader’s Meeting in the Cook Islands.

Together with prominent speakers at the PIF Leader’s Meeting Pavilion, notably the Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa and Cook Islands Member of Parliament, Hon. Akaiti O Te Rangi Puna, we explore the connection between human rights, Pacific values and how they are anchored together in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, with a focus on gender equality.

Representatives from established and emerging National Human Rights Institutions in the Pacific region, including Samoa, Cook Islands, New Zealand and Australia, will also take part in the dialogue, which aims to highlight the value and role that national accountability structures, and in particular National Human Rights Institutions, have and can play in promoting people-centred development, including in addressing violence against women and girls.

The dialogue, which is organized in collaboration between the United Nations in the Pacific and its Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of the Ombudsman of Cook Islands, the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Asia Pacific Forum, is an opportunity for Pacific Island States to pledge commitment to take concrete action on human rights, including on establishing and strengthening National Human Rights Institutions.

About the Human Rights 75 Initiative

Human Rights 75 is a global, regional, and national year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which falls on the 10th of December, International Human Rights Day. The anniversary year is an opportunity to learn from Pacific governments, civil society, and development partners about how we together can best address current and future human rights challenges - to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equality and ensure human rights for all. Read more about the global initiative here.

 

For more information and interviews, please contact the UN Human Rights Pacific Regional Office

In Rarotonga, Cook Islands:

Ms Elizabeth Rova: elizabeth.rova@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 718 3557 and

Ms Momoko Nomura: momoko.nomura@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 297 4632 2974632

In Suva, Fiji: Ms Ingvild Vetrhus: Ingvild.vetrhus@un.org / WhatsApp: +679 976 4901