Pre-Conference Activities
Case Study: The United Nations Human Rights Council
Organized by: The Rights and Democracy Delegation of the Global College
Featuring: Muriel Smith
Wednesday, February 21: “Case Study” 12:30pm – 2:30pm
UN 201 Using International Human Rights Instruments
Invited expert Muriel Smith will aid students in an activity to demonstrate the role and application of United Nations human rights conventions.
Participants will break off into groups, with each group being given a case study and the applicable UN convention. Each group will be asked to identify the rights violations in question and share their findings with the other groups. The UN specialist and the facilitator will then follow up by leading a discussion of how these violations might be addressed using mechanisms within the UN's bureaucratic framework. Students will gain insight into UN policy and legal loopholes, and develop a better understanding of the workings of the UN system. This will enable students to put themselves in the shoes of those who make the decisions.