Building Back Better: A Focus on the Right to Health and the Right to Food

ILO Asia Pacific

The global COVID-19 crisis is exposing and exacerbating existing inequalities and violations of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR), with devastating effects on vulnerable groups and societies. The challenges brought about by the pandemic have placed even greater strain on the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Can the SDGs and ESCR, in particular the rights to health and to food, provide substantial guidance for immediate crisis response and for long-term recovery strategies towards fair, resilient and sustainable societies that leave no one behind? How can United Nations (UN) human rights mechanisms monitor pandemic recovery programs to ensure that they sustainably combat inequalities made evident during the crisis? How can they contribute to building back better, with the SDGs and the rights to health and food at the centre?

This training course builds on a series of training delivered during the last years around different ESCR and their links to the SDGs. The 2022 edition will focus on the topical question of the COVID impact, including backlashes in the progress towards the SDGs, with a focus on the rights to health and food.

In Geneva and Online

This training course can be followed in Geneva or online.

Programme

The course covers the following issues:

• Human rights-based approaches to development
• The inclusion of human rights in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• SDGs 1 to 17: towards the full realization of ESCR for all?
• No one will be left behind: the end of inequality and discrimination?
• Gender, ESCR and SDGs
• The High-Level Policy Forum on Sustainable Development
• The global COVID-19 crisis’ impact on the rights to health and food and related SDGs
• Collection of disaggregated data and indicators
• The role of UN human rights mechanisms in monitoring pandemic recovery programs (Human Rights Council, Special Procedures, and Treaty Bodies)
• The potential contribution of UN human rights mechanisms to building back better, with the rights to health and food, and related SDGs at the centre
• Discussions with international human rights experts.

Objectives

At the end of this course, participants will be:

• Familiar with human rights-based approaches to development
• Able to identify the main differences and similarities between ESCR and the SDGs
• Familiar with the content of specific ESCR and related SDGs
• Knowledgeable about data collection and indicators to monitor ESCR and the SDGs
• Able to describe the global COVID-19 crisis’s impact on the rights to health and food and related SDGs
• Aware of the role that UN human rights mechanisms play in monitoring pandemic recovery programs (Human Rights Council, Special Procedures and Treaty Bodies)
• Able to discuss the potential contribution of UN human rights mechanisms to building back better, with the rights to health and food, and related SDGs at the centre
• Cognizant of the obstacles faced by international mechanisms responsible for monitoring ESCR and the SDGs
• Able to integrate tools for implementing and monitoring ESCR and the SDGs, and for contributing to building back better in their work.

Methodology

The course is interactive and participants are encouraged to share their own experiences and perspectives on the issues. The training sessions include lectures and discussions with experts, as well as practical examples and case studies. Sessions are designed to enhance knowledge exchange with peers and facilitators.

Throughout this course, participants will have the opportunity to engage with international human rights experts.

Access to a Dedicated Community Platform

All participants in our training course have access – ahead, during and following their course – to a dedicated community platform (on Mighty Network). This community brings together all the participants to our courses who have unlimited access to the training materials and resources shared during their course and can exchange with all the alumni of the Geneva Human Rights Platform Training Hub.

Lecturers

The training course is given by members of academia and senior professionals from the Geneva Academy, international organizations, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN Special Procedures mandate holders, and NGOs.

Audience

This training course is designed for staff of NGOs, development and human rights institutions, UN bodies and other international organizations, as well as representatives of governments and members of academia.

Certification

Participants who successfully complete the training course receive a certificate of participation from the Geneva Academy.

Fee

Attendance in Geneva

The training fee for this five-day programme is 1,530 Swiss Francs and includes tuition costs, course materials, 5 lunches, and refreshments during coffee breaks.

All participants are responsible for their own travel costs to Geneva, including Swiss visa fees and evening meals (approximately 30 Swiss Francs per meal).

Discount for Online Attendance*

The training fee for those attending the course online is 1,250 Swiss Francs.

Discount for PhD and Master Students*

There is a 30 percent discount for PhD and master students.

Payment

The fee is payable as soon as your place has been confirmed. As places on the training course are limited, participation can only be secured through the payment of the fee. In case of cancellation by the participant, CHF 200 won't be returned.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the online application form.

If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact us: escrtraining[at]geneva-academy.ch

* These two discounts cannot be combined.