The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law will hold an open panel debate on 18 February to kick-off its new project for promoting human rights based inclusion in the Nordic and Baltic States.
Panel members will present and discuss promising practices in the field of social inclusion from regional, national and local perspectives.
“European states are struggling with their response to the need for protection of refugees and asylum seekers, but notwithstanding the internal wrangling of the EU member states, these individuals are here to stay,” says Abigail Booth, head of RWI’s Unit for Asia. “All countries in the region, including the Nordic and Baltic States, must set in place policies and programmes to ensure the settlement and integration of new residents. These policies and programmes should of course be developed and implemented within the framework of international human rights law.”
During 2016, RWI will be convening a number of round tables aimed at providing a forum for the development of evidence based tools and policies for promoting human rights based inclusion in the Nordic and Baltic States.
The past 50 years have shown dramatic demographic, social and economic changes in northern Europe including growing inequality and increasing ethnic and cultural diversity. The pace of these is increasing as more and more refugees and asylum seekers enter the European Union fleeing massive human rights violations, wars and conflict in countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea.
The event is supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with OSIFE of the Open Society Foundation.
Where: Pufendorf Auditorium at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute
When: 18 February 2016 at 17.00′
This event is co-organized with the Association of Foreign Affairs in Lund.
Speakers
Morten Kjaerum, Director RWI
Agnese Papadia, Policy Officer, European Commission DG Migration and Home Affairs
Johanna Suurpää, Director Unit for Democracy, Language Affairs and Fundamental Rights, Ministry of Justice of Finland
Gustavo Nazar, coordinator for Norms and Values, Anti-discrimination for the city of Malmö and Sanne Cederstam, Project Leader for Plugin 2.0 for the city of Malmö