Second intersessional meeting on Human Rights and the 2030 Agenda

“Leave No One Behind”: How can promoting and protecting human rights accelerate the realization of the SDGs.

Objectives:       

• Stimulate reflection on how the human rights pillar of the United Nations can accelerate the realization of the SDGs, including in light of ongoing reforms of the United Nations.
• Explore the implications of the pledges in the SDG Summit Political Declaration for developing the synergies between promoting human rights and SDG implementation.
• Address the challenges of combatting inequalities. Highlight how the human rights principles of empowerment, inclusion and equality are crucial to the realization of the 2030 Agenda.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will host a ‘Knowledge Fair’ during the day of the intersessional meeting. The Fair provides a space for National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), UN agencies, NGOs, academia and other stakeholders to showcase their experiences, tools, publications and other relevant materials concerning human rights based implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Where: The Knowledge Fair will be held in the foyer outside Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
When: 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm, during the lunch break of the intersessional meeting on 3 December. Stands will be also available throughout the day.
Lunch: A sandwich lunch will be served during the Fair.

The session will focus on concrete human rights policies, practices, mechanisms and commitments at the country level, including sub-national and city levels that contribute to accelerating SDG delivery and implementation, and the role played by a United Nations under reform. It will also explore the importance of partners and partnerships on the ground concerning the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Objectives:        

• Share individual country best practices to promote empowerment, inclusion, and equality in the implementation of the SDGs.
• Illustrate the role and relationship of national human rights mechanisms in supporting the achievement of SDG goals, targets and indicators.
• Demonstrate measures taken to promote synergies between SDG implementation and the implementation of international human rights obligations and commitments.
• Illustrate the importance of ensuring adequate space for civil society, business representatives, youth and other non-governmental stakeholders.
• Identify and demonstrate good practices in promoting meaningful participation in the application of human rights principles to the delivery of the SDGs.
• Introduce specific approaches supporting the integration of human rights standards and human rights mechanisms’ recommendations in SDG-related planning and policy implementation at the country level.

This session will share reflections on the meeting and draw out key messages for the decade of action and delivery of the SDGs.