Events

Past Event

United Nations Fact-Finding and Commissions of Inquiry: Where We Are Today

October 10, 2019
12:10 PM - 1:10 PM
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Columbia Law School JG 107

CSIL is proud to co-host this event with the Human Rights Institute at Columbia Law School.

The UN increasingly mandates fact-finding commissions to respond to serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Why does the UN use such commissions? What is the role of fact-finding in advancing rights? What are the current challenges to UN inquiries? Join us for a discussion with Justice Michael Kirby (Justice of the High Court of Australia) moderated by Professor Sarah Knuckey (Director of the CLS Human Rights Clinic). Justice Kirby will share lessons learned from his work as Chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry on DPRK (North Korea). In that role, Justice Kirby published an unprecedented report documenting crimes against humanity in North Korea.

The Honorable Justice Kirby is an international jurist, educator and former judge. He served as Justice of the High Court of Australia; was President of the International Commission of Jurists; Commissioner of the UNDP Global Commission on HIV and the Law; Chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry on DPRK (North Korea); and Member of the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Access to Essential Healthcare. He was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal, and named Laurette of the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education.