Slava’s presentation concerned the protection of minorities in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and addressed the so far failure to mainstream minorities and the Human Rights Based Approach in the design and implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The presentation was based on an earlier submission contributing to the annual report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Dr Fernand de Varennes, to the UN General Assembly entitled Minorities, Equal Participation, Social and Economic Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The presentation was discussed by the audience including the UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, and several Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York. The UN Special Rapporteur’s report and the presentation are intended to inform the thinking and decision-making of UN member States around sustainable development and minorities.
The event was organized by the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues jointly with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations in New York. Slava’s participation was made possible through the support of the HRREC’s travel fund and uOttawa Faculty of Law Graduate Studies.
Slava is a Ph.D. candidate in law under the supervision of HRREC Director Professor John Packer. Slava’s doctoral work concerns Human Rights Based Approach to Governance, Development, Policy and Law-Making.