On the occasion of the 33th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, No Peace Without Justice and the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT), together with the Euro-Syrian Democratic Forum, are convening a side Event on “Syria: the UPR process and civil society’s role in promoting justice and accountability”, which will be held on Wednesday 21 September 2016 (from 15h30 to 17h00, Room XXV, Palais des Nations, United Nations Office in Geneva). The meeting is co-sponsored by the Governments of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Lichtenstein, Netherlands, Qatar, UK, USA and the EU Delegation.

Panelists of the meeting, to be co-Chaired by Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, Secretary General No Peace Without Justice and Hussein Sabbagh, Secretary General of Euro-Syrian Democratic Forum, include Riyad Al-Najem (Hurras, Syrian child protection network), Husam Alkatlaby (The Violations Documentation Center in Syria), Ola Aljounde (Women Now for Development) andDiab Serrih (The Day After). Welcome remarks will be made by H.E. Amb. Peter Matt, Liechtenstein Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Amb. Julian Braithwaite, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Amb. Maurizio Enrico Serra, Italy Permanent Representative to the UN, and conclusions will be made by H.E. Amb. Keith Harper, US Permanent Representative to the UN.

By focusing on the situation of children, young people and women, the efforts to document the widespread violations committed in the last five years and on how achieve justice and accountability for the victims of these crimes, this side event aims at raising awareness about the role the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process can play in reinforcing the importance of including the Syrian civil society community in the pursuit of a political solution to the war in Syria. The meeting serves as a reminder that the urgent priority of reaching a lasting political solution requires an inclusive and participatory process capable to ensure that the root causes of the conflict be addressed. It aims to articulate the request from Syrian civil society for freedom, democracy and accountability for violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation, which must be met to foster national reconciliation and a political solution.

 
This activity is implemented with the financial support of the European Commission and the Open Society Foundation (OSF).

Documentation:

• Final report of the Side Event
• Flyer of the Side Event
• Program and concept note of the Side Event
• Visit the special page dedicated to NPWJ’s Syria Project on Justice and Accountability

Civil society submissions in light of the second cycle of the UPR process of Syria:

• NPWJ submission on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and the Rights of Women
• in Syria: English
• NPWJ Joint submission on Civil and political rights in Syria: English / Arabic
• Women Now For Development Joint submission : English
• VCD Joint submission: English
• HURRAS Joint submission: Arabic

For further information, please contact Gianluca Eramo (MENA Democracy program Coordinator) on geramo@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini (Press & Public Affairs Coordinator) on ngiovannini@npwj.org or +32-2-548-3915.