Expert Workshop on United Nations Special Procedures System
Project Overview
From 6-7 November 2014, HRLC's Economic and Social Rights Unit hosted an Expert Workshop on the United Nations Special Procedures System at the University of Nottingham. The Workshop was convened by Professor Aoife Nolan, Professor Thérèse Murphy and Dr Rosa Freedman of the University of Birmingham. They were joined by 21 experts including former mandate-holders, representatives of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), members of the United Nations Treaty Monitoring Bodies, academics and members of civil society.
The Workshop aimed to encourage participants to explore some of the strengths and weaknesses in the Special Procedures system and to consider proposals for improvement of the system, which faces challenges both externally from States, and internally from within the UN.
The Workshop considered the development and structure of the Special Procedures system and array of topical issues. Sessions were held on: The development and structure of the Special Procedures system; Operationalisation of the Special Procedures and engagement with States; the 'politicisation' of mandate and; the impact of ideological tensions on the Special Procedures System.
Project Information
Dates: 6-7 November 2014
Location: Nottingham
Unit: Economic and Social Rights Unit
Core staff: Professor Aoife Nolan, Professor Thérèse Murphy, Dr Rosa Freedman
Speakers
- Professor Aoife Nolan, Joint ESR Unit Head and Professor of International Human Rights Law, University of Nottingham
- Professor Thérèse Murphy, Joint ESR Unit Head and Professor of International Human Rights Law, University of Nottingham
- Dr Rosa Freedman, University of Birmingham
- Professor Malcolm Evans, University of Bristol
- Dr Jessie Hohmann, Queen Mary University of London - Dr Elvira Dominguez-Redondo, Middlesex University London
- Marc Limon, Universal Rights Group
- Professor Olivier De Schutter, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (2008-2014)/Member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Paul Bentall, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Jane Connors, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Professor Shaheen Ali, former Member of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (2008 - 2014)
- Catarina de Albuquerque, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation (2008-2014)
- Professor Surya Subedi, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights (since 2009)
- Felice Gaer, AJC Jacob Blaustein Institute/Member of the UN Committee Against Torture
- Dr Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (since 2011)
- Dr Najat M'jid, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and the Child Pornography (2008 - 2014)
- Dr Danielle Beswick, University of Birmingham
- Phil Lynch, International Service for Human Rights
Proceedings from the Workshop form the basis of a book published in September 2017, The United Nations Special Procedures System (Brill, 2017), and launched at the UN in Geneva.