Human Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Future Work Directions

Celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Regional Seminar on "Human Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Future Work Directions”

20-21/12/2018

Agenda

Thursday December 20^th, 2018

09:00 – 10.00: Opening session: Interactive inaugural speeches on “The reality and prospects of human rights in the Middle East and North Africa”:

Official opening: Mohamed Fadhel Mahfoudh, Minister to the Tunisian Head of the Government in charge of relations with constitutional bodies, civil society and human rights

• Developments of major human rights policies, Taieb Baccouche, Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union
• Sustainable Development Goals and Prospects in the Middle East and North Africa, Diego Zorrilla, Resident coordinator of the United Nations in Tunisia
• Prospects of human rights culture, Abdelbasset Ben Hassen, President of the Arab Institute for Human Rights
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation's vision of the future of human rights in the MENA Region, Canan Atilgan Director Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Regional Program
• Master of ceremony, Zied Krichen, Editor in chief of “al Maghreb”

10:00 – 10:30: Coffee Break

10:30 – 12:00: Panel 1: “Human Rights, and the rule of Law in the MENA region”.

Chairwoman: Hafidha Chekir, President of the scientific committee of the Arab Institute for Human Rights

• Legal and Constitutional reforms, Alaa Chalabi, President of the Arab Organization for Human Rights
• Public policies, Soumicha Riyaha, Representative of the National Council for Human Rights in Morocco
• Good governance and accountability, Chawki Tabib, President of the National Anti-Corruption Commission
• Rule of Law and the promotion of Human Rights: Challenges and prospects, Saadia Wadhah, Lawyer and Human rights activist.

Discussion

12:00 – 13:30: Panel 2: The Human rights, and the consequences of crises on the MENA

Chairwoman: Maha Albarjas, Secretary General of the Arab Organization for Human Rights

• Human rights between conflict and peace, Habib Belkouch, President of the Center for Human Rights and Democracy Studies, Morocco
• Terrorism and radicalization, Raja Ben Slama, Psychologist and director of the National Library
• Prospects for action on migration and refugee issues in the region, Nadjia Hafsa, Head of the Protection section in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Tunisia

Discussion.

13:30 – 14:30: Lunch Break

14:30 – 16:00: Panel 3: Shrinking the spaces of civil society organizations

Chairman: Jamel Msallem, President of the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights

• Legal associations framework, Alaa Chalabi, President of the Arab Organization for Human Rights
• The implementation and protection of Human Rights in the region, Political restrictions, Kamal Almashreqi, Expert on Human Rights, Jordan
• Financing and resource availability, Yousry Mostapha, Expert on Human Rights, Egypt Discussion

16:00 – 16:30: Coffee Break

16:30 – 18:00: Panel 4: Human Rights in a changing world

Chairman: Moussa Brayzat, Commissioner-General for Human Rights - Prime Ministry - Jordan

• Human rights and new technology, Samiha Khalifa, Lecturer in Digital Education
• Issues of integration and inequality and women's economic and social rights, Manar Zaiter, Lawyer and expert on women’s rights
• Rights of persons with disabilities and issues of integration and inequality, Abdelmajid Mokni, Arab Organization for People with Disabilities
• Individual Rights in private and public domains, Khaled Mejri, Professor of public law in Tunisian universities

Discussion

Friday December 21^st, 2018

09:00 – 10:15: Panel 5: Challenges and prospects of Human Rights and Citizenship Education

Chairwoman: Soumicha Riyaha, Representative of the National Council for Human Rights in Morocco

• Educational Reforms in the Arab Region: Prospects and Challenges, Nejib Abdelmoula, Member of the scientific committee of the Arab Institute for Human Rights
• Prospects for informal education: Citizenship clubs as a model, Hichem Chebbi, General supervisor of education in the Tunisian Ministry of Education and trainer in the field of education on citizenship
• The Role of universities in promoting Human Rights Culture, Camille Habib, Dean of the University of Law, Lebanon
• Challenges and prospects for promoting a culture of human rights and citizenship: UNESCO's vision, Gabriel El Khili, UNESCO representative-Tunisia

Discussion

10:15 – 10:30: Coffee Break

10:30–12:00: Collective workshops: Drafting plans and strategies for action on how to create and maintain safe and enabling environment for civil society and human rights actors through good practices and experiences.

3 Workshops in parallel:

1. Towards a shared responsibility: International and regional partnerships, solidarity and advocacy and participation among society stakeholders, Yousra Daaloul Member of the scientific committee of the Arab Institute for Human Rights
2. Empowerment, Institutionalization and sustainability of civil society actors and spaces, Sama Aweida, Director of the Center for Women Studies in Jerusalem
3. Reforming human rights education tools and methodologies using new communication and technology, Jalila Boukari, Consultant at the INLUCC and S.C member at the Arab Institute for Human Rights.

12:00– 13:30: Closure session and Presentation and discussion of the working groups’ results

Chairman: Nasser Hammoud Kriouin, Secretary General of The Arab lawyers Union

13:30–14:30: Lunch Break