Tune in on Tuesday, July 20^th from 12-1:30PM (EDT) for an insightful panel discussion titled Current levels of representation of women in human rights organs and mechanisms: ensuring gender parity. The panel will discuss the recently-published report of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, which outlines findings on the current levels of representation of women in UN human rights bodies and puts forth recommendations on how to promote and implement gender balance in these organs. 

This important report identifies several causes of gender imbalance in international bodies, and affirms that the under-representation of women in international bodies infringes upon their rights to equality and non-discrimination, to equal participation in all spheres of life, and to equal opportunity in employment. Importantly, it concludes that lack of gender parity in UN human rights bodies affects not only women’s rights; it is also detrimental to these bodies themselves, as it hinders their impact, effectiveness, and legitimacy, while also leading them to overlook critical gender issues and perspectives. This report was requested by the UN Human Rights Council in its Resolution 41/6 of July 2019, entitled “Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls”; its submission at the 47^th Session of the Human Rights Council in June 2021 constitutes an important stepping stone towards greater representation and participation of women in key international institutions.   

The virtual event on July 20^th will delve into the report’s findings, recommendations, and its implications with a distinguished panel, which will include: Prof. Jarpa Dawuni, Associate Professor of Political Science at Howard University & Executive Director of the Institute for African Women in Law; Prof. Nienke Grossman, Professor of Law & Co-Director of the Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Baltimore; Viviana Krsticevic, Executive Director of the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) and a Member of the Secretariat of the GQUAL Campaign; Elizabeth Salmón, Member of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee & Professor of Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and Liz Snodgrass, Partner at Three Crowns LLP. Professor Claudia Martin, Co-Director of the Academy and a member of the Secretariat of the GQUAL Campaign, will be moderating the conversation.

*This Panel is sponsored by the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, ASIL’s Women In International Law Interest Group, GQUAL, and the Institute for African Women in Law.

This event is the Tenth panel discussion of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law’s Human Rights Summer 2021 series, titled “Experts Speak Series: Addressing Human Rights in Times of Crisis.”

For details and registration, click here.

This promises to be an enriching conversation touching upon the current challenges facing women in international law and discussing the report’s proposed roadmap to achieve gender parity in human rights bodies, and we hope that you will join us!