The UN and Freedom of Expression and Information: Critical Perspectives

Conference organised by the ACIL and the Institute for Information Law (IViR), Faculty of Law, UvA, with the collaboration of Human Rights Centre, University of Essex.

The Conference is organised with the generous financial support of: the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (Department of Constitutional Affairs and Legislation), the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts & Sciences (KNAW), the Faculty of Law, University of Amsterdam, and the University of Essex.

The Conference will take place in Amsterdam on Friday, 23 April 2010.

FOR REGISTRATION PLEASE USE THE ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM (SEE BELOW)

Background & Programme

  
Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) has become a standard reference point for safeguarding the right to freedom of expression and has served as a model for comparable provisions in other treaties. This Conference aims to examine UN standards and to stimulate critical thinking about how the standards and mechanisms can be put to better effect, to ensure that the right to freedom of expression is more effective in practice.

The work of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression is of central importance in this regard. The timeliness of this Conference is further underscored by the fact that the UN Human Rights Committee is currently drafting a new General Comment on Article 19, ICCPR, with the aim of clarifying the scope of the right to freedom of expression under the Covenant.

The Conference brings together experts from the UN system, including the Human Rights Committee and other UN treaty bodies, UNESCO, and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, as well as experts from Ministries, NGOs and academic institutions.

FOR THE FULL PROGRAMME OF THE CONFERENCE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

Conference Objectives

• Stimulate critical thinking and debate about UN standards on freedom of expression;
• Identify selected challenges for the full realisation of the right to freedom of expression in practice, including technological and societal developments;
• Engage with pressing current issues concerning freedom of expression, in particular by examining how they are dealt with by relevant UN standards and mechanisms and examine their relevance for overcoming the identified challenges;
• Examine the extent to which the role of the (traditional and new) media in democratic society informs the interpretation of UN standards on freedom of expression;
• Contribute to the (ongoing) process of drafting a new General Comment on Article 19, ICCPR;
• Facilitate the continuation of the debate initiated by the expert conference by way of a post-conference publication and the provision of online resources on freedom of expression.

Target Public

  
80-100 participants (incl. speakers and panellists) will be drawn from a variety of academic disciplines and other professional backgrounds in order to ensure that the discussions are truly multidimensional. In particular, they will include: academics, law- and policy-makers, IGO and NGO representatives, media professionals, representatives of media regulatory authorities, postgraduate students.

Organisers

  
The conference organisers are: Dr. Yvonne Donders (ACIL), Dr. Tarlach McGonagle (Institute for Information Law, IViR) and Prof. Kevin Boyle (Human Rights Centre, University of Essex).

Registration & Information

  
FOR REGISTRATION PLEASE USE THE ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: 1 APRIL 2010

For information please contact Martine van Trigt:

Email: acil-fdr@uva.nl