Diplomacy Dialogues in Advance of the Universal Periodic Review
In advance of the second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the U.S. next month, human rights advocates have been busy prepping for more than a year to try to get their issues highlighted in the U.S. report and in the recommendations which will be made by other countries to the U.S. Last month Risa Kaufman highlighted the U.S. report and some of the activities organized by civil society, she also shared some great thoughts last fall on why U.S. advocates should get involved in this second UPR. I want to give you an update on the “diplomacy dialogues” being organized between U.S. human rights advocates and diplomats this spring, and tell you why you should attend one of the last two being held this week in Washington, D.C. and New York.
The diplomacy dialogues aim to provide an opportunity for U.S. human rights advocates to meet with diplomats from countries that are interested in making recommendations to the U.S. during the UPR. During these meetings diplomats hear directly from U.S. human rights advocates about their top priorities and concerns. Diplomats are encouraged to have their U.N. missions ask questions and make recommendations during the UPR process based on the information that they receive during the meetings. These dialogues also provide a terrific opportunity for U.S. advocates to meeting informally with diplomats to find out what their specific interests are and to exchange contact information to later follow-up with draft language for targeted questions and recommendations.
In October 2010, the first diplomacy dialogue of this kind was organized by the U.S. Human Rights Network and the Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law in advance of the first U.S. UPR. The small meeting was held here in Washington, D.C., and issues such as housing, criminal justice, national security and racial discrimination were covered by a handful of U.S. human rights advocates.
The diplomacy dialogue idea was revived and expanded in advance of the second UPR this year. A total of five diplomacy dialogues have been planned in New York and Washington, D.C. by the U.S. Human Rights Network and partners. The first dialogue was held on February 20, 2015, at Howard University Law School in Washington, D.C. Diplomats from the Netherlands, Brazil, Australia, Vietnam, Norway, Malaysia, Belgium, Poland, Uruguay, Mexico, Spain and Hungary attended the meeting and dozens of human rights advocates had the opportunity to make presentations and also informally meet with the diplomats. On March 25, 2015, another meeting was held in Washington, D.C., this time at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. Diplomats from Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Burkina Faso and Mexico attended that meeting and approximately ten presentations were made by U.S. advocates. Some advocates, who had reached out to specific embassies in advance encouraging attendance, were able to have extended conversations with diplomats and make targeted requests for questions and recommendations during that meeting. On March 27, 2015, another diplomacy dialogue was held at the U.N. Church Center in New York. Diplomats from Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Hungary, Japan, Lesotho, Libya, Micronesia, Paraguay, and Seychelles attended that meeting and similar presentations were made by U.S. advocates.
This week, two additional diplomacy dialogues will be held. The first will be held on April 15 from 10 am to 1 pm at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. The second will be held on April 17 from 9:30am to 1:30pm at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College in New York.
Please join us for these last two diplomacy dialogues and bring along your students to witness and participate in these fascinating conversations. These are likely the last public opportunities to meet with diplomats here in the U.S. in advance of the May UPR and U.N. missions will be hungry for ideas for questions and recommendations as they plan their trips to Geneva.