Steps to Protection: The Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders

Dublin Castle, 17th –19th January 2002 Dublin, Ireland

Thursday 17th Jan:

9.00- 9.30 Registration and Coffee

9.30-9.40 Welcome Mr Denis O’Brien, Chairman (tbc)

9.40-9.50 Testimony

9.50- 10.10 Ireland’s role in the Protection of Human Rights Defenders The Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern.

10.10 – 10.25 From Paris to Dublin: the aims of the Platform Ms. Mary Lawlor, Director Front Line

10.25-10-30 Musical Interlude

10.30- 10.40 Testimony

Linking the National and International – Mrs Mary Robinson UN 10.40– 11.10 A challenge for Human Rights Defenders. High Commissioner for Human Rights 11.10 – 11.30 Coffee Break

11.30– 11.40 Testimony

11.40-12.00 Protecting human rights defenders at risk: - Ms Hina Jilani, UN Special a priority of the new Special Representative Representative on Human Rights of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders Defenders

12.00 – 12.15 “From the Republic of Conscience” Seamus Heaney, Nobel Laureate

12.15- 12.30 Testimony

12.30- 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 15.30 Plenary Chair: (tbc) The Impact of September, 11th Crisis on the work of Human Rights Defenders. Expert presentation – Mr Pierre Sane Ø Case Studies based in some countries affected.

15.30-16.00 Coffee Break

16.00- 17.30 Discussion by participants in cross-regional working groups to address issues of the Crisis Working group 1 : English Chair- Noeline Blackwell, Trustee of Front Line Working group 2: Spanish Chair- Esteban Beltran, Director Amnesty International Spanish section tbc Working group 3: English Chair- Kieran Mulvey, Trustee of Front Line Working group 4: French Chair- Michel Forst, Trustee of Front Line

19.30 Reception - “Ceol agus Craic”

Friday 18th Jan:

9.15 - 9.25 Testimony

9.25 – 10.25 Plenary Chair: Mme Hina Jilani, UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders Expert Presentation on Combating Impunity- Professor William A. Schabas, Director of Irish Centre for Human Rights

Expert Presentation on Combating Extreme Poverty – Expert tbc

10.25 – 10.35 Testimony

10.35 – 11.00 Coffee Break

11.00 – 13.00 Workshops: Combating Impunity Working group 1 : English Chair- Noeline Blackwell, Trustee of Front Line Working group 2: Spanish Chair- Esteban Beltran, Director Amnesty International Spanish section tbc

Workshops: Combating Extreme Poverty Working group 3: English Chair- Kieran Mulvey, Trustee of Front Line Working group 4: French Chair- Michel Forst, Trustee of Front Line

13.0 – 14.30 Lunch

14.30 – 14.45 Launch of Front Line’s Website

14.45 – 17.30 Workshops: Presentation of papers to be circulated in advance

Workshops: Maximising in-country legitimacy for Human Rights Defenders Working group 1 : English Chair- Noeline Blackwell, Trustee of Front Line Working group 2: Spanish Chair- Esteban Beltran, Director Amnesty International Spanish section tbc

Workshops: Physical and material security Working group 3: English Chair- Kieran Mulvey, Trustee of Front Line Working group 4: French Chair- Michel Forst, Trustee of Front Line

(see outline of the four themes overleaf)

19.0 Dinner at Fitzer’s Restaurant - Temple Bar

Saturday 19th Jan:

Plenary: Chair Mr Pierre Sané, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Social and Human Sciences Sector Conference Rapporteur: Judge Donal Barrington, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission

9.15 – 9.30 Testimony

9.30– 10.15 Presentation of key issues arising from workshops – Karen Kenny,

10.15– 11.00 Discussion on next steps

11.00 – 11.30 Coffee Break

11.30 – 12.45 Discussion on next steps

12.45 – 13.00 Recommendations to Front Line

13.00 Closing remarks – Denis O’Brien, Chairman Front Line.

13.00 – 15.00 Lunch

Afternoon: Sight seeing.

19.00 Dinner: Irish Night

End of Day 3 – End of Platform.