UNITAR Hosts Briefing on Human Rights, SDGs and Private Sector

5 June 2018, New York, United States - The United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) held a briefing on Enterprises and Humans Rights for students from the Professional Master Program at the University of Fortaleza, Brazil. The event is in its second year and it took place in the framework of the partnership between UNITAR and Columbia Law School, with Professors Alexandra Carter and Shawn Watts from the Mediation Clinic of Columbia Law School. The programme was based on problem intervention and is aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) of the United Nations.

The event opened with Mr. Pelayo Alvarez from UNITAR, giving opening remarks and thanking the students for their interest in the work of the United Nations. Professor Carter thanked the students for their commitment in learning about the United Nations as well as thanking UNITAR for this type of learning partnership. The students were then briefed by Ms. Denise Hauser, Human Rights Officer from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ms. Hauser’s briefing focused on enterprises and their impact on SDGs and Human Rights, arguing that they are core foundations of an obligation to protect human rights. She used examples from countries like Guatemala, Mexico and other Latin American countries to make connections between a social community and their private sector. The students also asked many questions tying in what they had just learned to their home country of Brazil.

UNITAR gave each student a gift bag from Maryland-based non-profit organization, Trees for the Future that included information about planting trees and agroforestry as their visit coincided with World Environment Day. Mr. Alvarez also gave the students a tour of the United Nations Headquarters. The Brazilian students visited the main conference rooms, including the Security Council Chamber, the Trusteeship Council Chamber and the Economic and Social Council Chamber. The students expressed their gratitude for this unique opportunity provided by UNITAR and Columbia Law School.

Photos: Participants and panelists