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NHRCK to hold a special session on local governments' engagement in the UN human rights mechanisms at the 14th World Human Right Cities Forum
□ The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (hereinafter ‘NHRCK’) held a special session on 'Promoting Local Governments' Engagement in the UN Human Rights Mechanisms' at the 14th World Human Right Cities Forum (hereinafter ‘the Forum’) in Gwangju. The session was held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju on October 11, 2024 and explored ways to activate interaction between local governments and the UN human rights mechanisms and boost the promotion of human rights in the region.
□ The UN human rights mechanism and its recommendations provide universal standards and guidance for the protection and promotion of human rights. Therefore, local governments' engagement in the UN human rights mechanism and implementation of its recommendations plays an important role in embedding international human rights standards in local communities and promoting human rights. The NHRCK has emphasized the importance of local governments' participation in the UN human rights system in fulfilling their human rights responsibilities, especially as local governments are in a position to recognize and respond more specifically to the human rights concerns of their residents and communities.
□ This session covered discussions on the development of the international discourse on local government participation in the UN human rights mechanisms, the current status and challenges in Korea and other countries, and the role of national human rights institutions.
○ Ms. Anh Thu Duong, Co-Director of Global Cities Hub, delivered a keynote presentation on the international development of the 'Local Government Engagement in the UN Human Rights Mechanisms' agenda, and Ms. Josephina Abdullah, International Coordination Officer of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia(SUHAKAM), introduced the current status of local government engagement in the UN human rights mechanism in Malaysia and related activities of SUHAKAM.
○ Ms. Jeon Jin-hee, Standing Human Rights Ombudsman of Gwangju Metropolitan City, and Mr. Ahn Si-hyung, Human Rights Inverstigator of Gyeonggi-do Provincial Government, presented key challenges for local governments to engage with the UN human rights mechanisms.
○ Finally, Mr. Eun-Hyun Moon of International Human Rights Division of NRHCK and Ms. Janica Puisto of the Office of United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights delivered a presentation on the roles and challenges of national human rights institutions and the international community in promoting interaction between local governments and the UN human rights mechiansm.
□ NRHCK hopes that this session will contribute to advances in the discussion over local governments' engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms at home and abroad.
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