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New York Launch of the Guiding Principles

On 27th May 2009 the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations hosted in New York a launch event for the Guiding Principles. The event was aimed at presenting the Principles to those working in and around the United Nations headquarters on issues related to human rights fieldwork. Among the invitees were permanent representatives at the United Nations, including all the members of the recently elected Human Rights Council, senior officials in relevant departments, offices and agencies of the UN: DPKO, DPA, OHCHR, OCHA, UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, the offices of the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide and of the Special Advisor on the Responsibility to Protect; senior officials and representatives of international NGOs such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Open Society Justice Initiative and International Crisis Group. All participants received hard copies and informational brochures of the Guiding Principles together with other informational material.

Prof. Michael O'Flaherty introduces the Guiding Principles for Human Rights Field Officers Ambassador Paul Kavanagh speaks with one of the participants Mr. William G. O'Neill speaks about the drafting process of the Guiding Principles for Human Rights Field Officers

H.E. Ambassador Paul Kavanagh, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations, opened the proceedings. He explained the strong support that Ireland gives to the Guiding Principles project and set them in the context of contemporary debates and developments at the UN. The Ambassador was followed by Prof. Michael O'Flaherty, Director of the 'Consolidating the Profession: the Human Rights Field Officer' Project. He provided an overview of the project within which the Guiding Principles were developed and adopted, detailing its aims, objectives and outputs since 2004. Ms. Jessica Neuwirth, Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York, then spoke. She commented on the increasingly central role of field work in the realisation of OHCHR's mandate and the contribution the Guiding Principles can make to enhance and facilitate the day to day duties of human rights field officers. Mr. William G. O'Neill, principal drafter of the Guiding Principles and independent human rights consultant, reflected on issues and challenges faced during the drafting procedure of the Principles, outlining their core contents. Dr. George Ulrich, Senior Fellow at the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation and principal drafter of the Statement of Ethical Commitments that accompanies the Principles, offered an overview of ethical challenges faced by human rights field officers and more generally by all those working with and for human rights, not only in the field. Ambassador Kavanagh, after sharing some concluding reflections on the value of the project, opened the floor to questions and comments.

Ms Jessica Neuwirth (Director of the OHCHR New York Office), Ambassador Paul Kavanagh (Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations), Mr William G. O'Neill, Dr George UlrichResponse from participants demonstrated positive interest. Questions were posed inquiring more precisely about the contents, application and potential impact of the Guiding Principles. A short discussion arose about their potential relation and interaction with the international community's Responsibility to Protect. Issues related to the effective dissemination of the Principles were also addressed, as participants sensed their value and potential impact. A representative of the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations, recently returned from a mission in Georgia, made a notable contribution to the discussion. She shared her personal experience with the Guiding Principles, which she described as a very helpful tool in responding to inquiries from field officers about guidelines for carrying out their job on the ground in post-conflict Georgia.

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