As a part of the academic conference; "Intersection between Human Rights and Sustainability as an Evolving and Justiciable Concept" we have the pleasure to invite you to attend a unique one hour seminar with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (SPR HRDs) Mrs. Mary Lawlor.
Human rights defenders and sustainability
The important role that human rights defenders play as key actors in human rights promotion and protection and to advance the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has been recognized by the international community. Still, the harassment, attacks and killings of defenders are well documented over the last decades.
Human rights defenders are often on the front line of conflicts involving land and resource use and in protecting the environment. Though sustainability seems a beneficial concept, how might contested meanings present challenges as much as solutions to human rights defenders encountering such conflicts?
About the contributors:
Ms. Mary Lawlor
Ms. Lawlor took up the mandate of Special Rapport on the situation of human rights defender on 1 May 2020. Ms. Lawlor is currently an Adjunct Professor of Business and Human Rights in the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), School of Business, Trinity College Dublin. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Business.
She has worked extensively with and on the situation of human rights defenders. In 2001 she founded Front Line Defenders - the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders to concentrate on human rights defenders at risk. As Executive Director from 2001-2016, Ms. Lawlor represented Front Line Defenders and had a key role in its development. Ms. Lawlor was previously the Director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International from 1988 to 2000, became a Board member in 1975 and was elected Chair from 1983 to 1987.She has a BA in Philosophy and postgraduate degrees in Montessori Teaching and Personnel Management. Ms. Lawlor is on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Ethics in Public Life, School of Philosophy, University College Dublin and at the Norwegian Human Rights Fund.
Sandra Petersen (moderator)
Sandra Petersen has over 20 years of experience as a practitioner working with civil society organizations, refugees and activist from and in volatile and high conflict areas. In 2005,she co-edited a book with internal perspective on the Israel and Palestinian societies and conflict; “Kaleidoskop; Israel og Palestina fra innsiden”. She has previously been the Secretary General of the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (2008-2009) and the Executive Director of the Norwegian Human Rights Fund (2010-2021) where she continues to be a special advisor. She is currently undertaking doctoral research at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, UIO, on international support to the protection of human rights defenders with a particular interest and focus on Norway’s role.