University News Last updated 24 September
Cementing its international profile in human rights research, teaching and practice, Birmingham City University’s (BCU) Centre of Human Rights has signed a new agreement with the Geneva Human Rights Hub (GHRH).
Under the new collaboration, BCU’s Centre for Human Rights will deliver specialist training organised by the GHRH, an independent platform dedicated to strengthening the functioning of UN human rights mechanisms.
Delivered as part of the professional course, ‘Implementing Human Rights: Engaging with UN Mechanisms at the National Level’, the training is intended for professionals working on human rights in different capacities. The course examines the main components of the UN human rights system and considers how mechanisms including treaty bodies, special procedures, fact-finding mechanisms and the Universal Periodic Review connect to national processes and actors.
Professor Amna Nazir, Dr Alice Storey and Professor Jon Yorke, Directors of the Centre for Human Rights at BCU, have been invited to design and deliver the training.
The collaboration highlights the Centre’s reputation and expertise, particularly relating to the Universal Periodic Review – the UN Human Rights Council mechanism through which the human rights record of every UN Member State is reviewed.
“Being invited to contribute to its professional training programme in Geneva is an important recognition of the Centre’s expertise in international human rights and our wider work on the UN human rights system,” said Professor Amna Nazir, Professor in International Human Rights Law at BCU.
“We have worked extensively on the Universal Periodic Review through our research, teaching and practice-based work, so we are particularly pleased to have the opportunity to bring that expertise into a professional training environment involving those working directly with international human rights mechanisms.”
The Memorandum of Understanding is also creating new opportunities for BCU doctoral researchers. The Geneva Human Rights Hub will provide one fee-waived place for a PhD researcher within BCU’s Department of Law to attend the course in Geneva.
Find out more about BCU’s Centre for Human Rights here.
Pictured (from left): Professor Amna Nazir, Dr Alice Storey and Professor Jon Yorke