UN Women Recognition, justice and development:
Recognition, justice and development:
Women of African descent – at the intersection of race and gender
On the occasion of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent,
the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the co-sponsorship of the UN Department of Public Information
and Black Women’s Blueprint, and the support of UN Women, invites you to a special event on:
Recognition, justice and development:
Women of African descent – at the intersection of race and gender
Friday, 29 April 2016
Conference Room 1, United Nations Headquarters, New York
11.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
RSVP here by 26 April
Programme
Opening remarks
Maarit Kohonen Sheriff, Deputy Head, New York Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Shahrashoub Razavi, Chief, Research and Data, UN Women
Farah Tanis, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Black Women’s Blueprint
Panellists
Ahmed Reid, Member of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (Jamaica)
Nadine Neufville, Deputy Director for Grant Development and Management,
Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice (United States)
Mmatshilo Tumelo Motsei, Poet, writer and gender activist (South Africa)
Isabelle Boni-Claverie, Author, screenwriter, film director (Ivory Coast / France)
Janet Mock, Writer and transgender rights activist (United States)
Tracy Robinson, Former Commissioner, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights;
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, Mona (Jamaica)
Discussants
Alicia Garza, Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter (United States) (TBC)
Tonya Lewis Lee, Author and film producer (United States) (TBC)
Moderator
Ejim Dike, Executive Director, US Human Rights Network
Background
The UN General Assembly proclaimed 2015-2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent, with the theme of “Recognition, justice and development.” The Decade’s programme of activities gives special attention to the compounded discrimination faced by women and girls of African descent and requests States to adopt and implement policies and programmes that provide them with effective protection.
The main objective of this event is to raise awareness and exchange views on the causes and manifestations of compounded discrimination faced by women of African descent, including when it comes to gender-based violence, access to healthcare and the overall protection of human rights, and to brainstorm and share good practices on the crucial role that women of African descent can play worldwide in countering discrimination.
During the event, women of African descent will share their experiences in promoting women’s rights in various aspects of personal, civil, social, economic, cultural and political life. They will discuss sustainable models to bring about accountability and justice for women of African descent, and make recommendations for improving the lives of women of African descent worldwide.
More information
www.un.org/en/events/africandescentdecade
Webcast
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