CGNK takes Nonkilling to the 50th session of the Human Rights Council

The Center for Global Nonkilling’s team at the UN and the Humans Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva is reinforced by the presence of Elina Viitasaari from Finland, our UN Gender focal point, thanks to the support of the Swedish-Ostrobothnian Foundation (Svensk-Österbottniska Samfundet). Present, sometimes with her 8 years old son, at numerous sessions, she is focusing on discrimination and violence against women and on the Universal Periodic Reviews of the Human Rights of all countries, the one of South-Sudan and others. She engages with delegations and takes the floor in negotiations and in the plenary of the Council to advance our living cause.

On the 27th of June, during the special day dedicated to the rights of Women, she will be for CGNK the first NGO of only four, to take the floor and speak at the High-level panel on “Climate change and violence against Women”. She says: “the first week has been very intense, learning about the HRC’s work, how NGOs can influence on the issues at stake and, what is the most important: what kind of impact the Human Rights Council and NGOs have on the human rights progresses and for the prevention of all violations around the world.

Besides preparing various statements on various issues, Christophe Barbey, our Main representative at the UN in Geneva, is participating in the discussions towards an important new resolution on “casualty reporting”. Nonkilling is about preserving the living and giving us all a happy life. However, this resolution is important because a better count of premature deaths helps prevent them. It will also help alleviate the suffering of the remaining ones, and though our focus is more on restorative justice than on a punishing one, it will help to assure accountability. He also made a vivid statement on the right of everyone to peace during the special session on the situation in Mariupol in Ukraine. The video can be found here (at one point “world” must be heard, not “war”: happy people breed a happy world, indeed).

More news for you coming at the end of the HRC’s session in July. Stay updated, read our newsletters and please contribute to our essential work, as needed for the promotion of living, good-living and living together. Thank you.