UN Side Event: From words to action: Implementing Academic Freedom under UN Human Rights Standards

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Title: From words to action: Implementing Academic Freedom under UN Human Rights Standards
Date: 11 July, 10:00 am CET
Location: Palais Des Nations, Room XXV
Format: Hybrid
State Mission Sponsors: Uruguay, in partnership with the Missions of the European Union, Portugal, and France

Details and Objective:
The event will build on the success of the Joint Statement on Academic Freedom delivered at the UN Human Rights Council Session in March this year, and signed by 74 countries, as well as recent progress in support of academic freedom, including the 2020 report on academic freedom by the UN special rapporteur on the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and UNESCO’s parallel advancement of the conversation on science and scientific freedom. It is intended to concretise existing progress within the UN, as well as within regional and national systems, and at the institutional level.

The event will bring together relevant UN mandate holders, State Missions, international experts, and other stakeholders. The discussion will focus on existing human rights standards, and introduce new guidance, Principles for Implementing the Right of Academic Freedom, (available in English, Arabic, Chinese,  French, Russian, and Spanish), developed by an international working group of scholars, advocates, UN staff and others, as a framework for dialogue and activity that moves beyond statements of broad principle by offering concrete guidance for assessing and promoting implementation of the right in practice in various contexts.

The organizers welcome interventions, and other support from additional states. Please feel free to email Jesse Levine, Senior Advocacy Officer for Scholars at Risk with any questions: jl4289@nyu.edu.