20 March 2025, 18:30-20:00
Register start 11 March 2025
Register end 20 March 2025
Event
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), FIAN International, World Future Council, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, and the Geneva Human Rights Platform present a public discussion of the Maastricht Principles’ legal commentary, exploring their impact on intergenerational justice and policymaking.
The principle of intergenerational justice has long been recognized in legal discourse, yet mainstream governance and judicial decision-making often remain focused on the short-term interests of the present generation. Over the past decade, a growing number of initiatives have sought to reframe policymaking by embedding the rights and interests of future generations at the heart of governance. However, for these efforts to be truly transformative, they must be firmly grounded in human rights law rather than treated as aspirational soft-law principles. Legal frameworks provide no basis for generational discrimination in the exercise of human rights, and recent judicial rulings underscore the duty of present-day decision-makers to safeguard the ability of future generations to enjoy their fundamental rights.
In this evolving legal landscape, the Maastricht Principles on the Human Rights of Future Generations—launched in 2023 and endorsed by over 50 international human rights experts—offer a crucial framework for applying human rights obligations in the context of intergenerational justice. These principles have already informed legal debates and court proceedings, including the International Court of Justice’s hearings on states’ climate obligations. To deepen understanding and facilitate effective implementation, a comprehensive legal commentary on the Maastricht Principles has been developed, offering a robust analysis of the legal foundations underpinning the protection of future generations.
This event will mark the first public presentation of the legal commentary, providing a unique opportunity for practitioners, policymakers, and advocates to engage with its insights. Through in-depth discussions, participants will explore how these principles can be integrated into national and international legal and policy frameworks to ensure a future where human rights are protected across generations. By bridging legal theory and practical application, this event aims to reinforce the imperative of long-term governance that respects, protects, and fulfills the rights of both present and future generations.
This event will address the relevance of human rights approaches to the promotion of intergenerational justice and the contribution that the Maastricht Principles could provide in this context.
This 90-minutes event will take the form of a hybrid event with a panel discussion offering the perspectives of different decision makers, practitioners and stakeholders, followed by an interactive discussion. The event will be followed by refreshments.
This event is designed to provide relevant information to a broad range of audiences interested in integrating intergenerational justice in policy making and in legal processes - from (international) civil servants to civil society advocates and practitioners.
Welcome:
Moderation:
Panel:
Light refreshments will be served at the end of the event.
Adobe
Our new research brief examines the complex relationship between digital technologies and their misuse in surveillance, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns.
Geneva Academy
The Geneva Human Rights Platform hosted an expert roundtable with the theme 'Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Human Rights Monitoring.'
Adobe
This training course will examine how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have been utilized to advance the concept of business respect for human rights throughout the UN system, the impact of the Guiding Principles on other international organizations, as well as the impact of standards and guidance developed by these different bodies.
This training course will delve into the means and mechanisms through which national actors can best coordinate their human rights monitoring and implementation efforts, enabling them to strategically navigate the UN human rights system and use the various mechanisms available in their day-to-day work.
UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré
CCPR Centre
The Geneva Human Rights Platform collaborates with a series of actors to reflect on the implementation of international human rights norms at the local level and propose solutions to improve uptake of recommendations and decisions taken by Geneva-based human rights bodies at the local level.
Geneva Academy
Geneva Academy