Human Rights Structures and Modern Diplomacy

On the 8th of March, three guests were invited to have a conversation about Human Rights Structure and Modern Diplomacy. Violette Wolters, Rory Geraghty, and Francisco Lopez Lorenzana, respectively working for the embassy of the Netherlands, Ireland, and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gathered to discuss their experiences in the Human Rights field.

The conversation centered on the Human Rights Council's roles, strengths, and limitations. The guests also addressed how their missions are sometimes challenged by cultural differences and countries’ interests, from word choices for resolutions to countries preventing investigations.

They emphasized how listening and not lecturing was key in the human rights sector as it is essential that conversations lead to a consensus and do not become a lecture by Western countries. The discussion concluded with the importance for countries to acknowledge their journeys and self-reflect on their position to show other countries that a different future regarding human rights is also possible for them.