icd TheACADEMY Center for for CulturalCULTURAL Diplomacy Studie DIPLOMACYs The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights “An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Role of International Law in Promoting Women’s Rights” (Helsinki, March 10th - 12th, 2014) The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights “An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Role of International Law in Promoting Women’s Rights” Helsink, March 10th - 12th, 2014 Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................. 4 Conference Agenda ..................................................... 5 Speaker List ................................................................. 7 Conference timetable ................................................... 8 Lectures & Speeches ................................................... 12 Video Interviews ........................................................... 52 The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy 2014 www.academy-for-cultural-diplomacy.org 3 The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights (Helsinki, March 10th - 12th, 2014) icd The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights fo rfor TheACADEMY Center “An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Role of International Cultural Diplomacy Studies CULTURAL DIPLOMACY Law in Promoting Women’s Rights” The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights Helsink, March 10th - 12th, 2014 Introduction Conference Agenda The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women Rights was hosted by the ICD Inter-parliamentary The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy recognizes the historic importance and potential for international law to Alliance for Human Rights & Global Peace, which was established in 2009 with the aim of promoting local serve as a strong catalyst for women’s rights advocacy. Therefore, this event has been designed in order to be the legislation that protects human rights, and support the long-term campaign for global peace and stability. first of an event series aiming to analyzing the role of international law in promoting human and women’s rights. The digital revolution, which has been highlighted by extensive citizen journalism, the dominance of social The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women Rights will be hosted by the ICD Inter- networks, as well as growing possibilities for people to travel and move around the world, has brought a parliamentary Alliance for Human Rights & Global Peace, which was established in 2009 with the aim of renewed awareness and emphasis once more on the current widespread gender imbalance worldwide. It promoting local legislation that protects human rights, and support the long-term campaign for global has become apparent to the global community that in both developing to industrialized countries, gender peace and stability. The conference explored and discussed these issues to formulate joint strategies for imbalance exists in many forms and creates a burden on society in economic, moral and other terms at future implementation. The conference featured a variety of lectures and panel discussions providing local, national and global levels. Global governance organizations, federal governments, parliaments and participants the opportunity to debate the role of international law in promoting women rights. NGOs from around the world are therefore working tirelessly, and in some cases collectively, to both raise awareness for this situation and to improve it by tackling gender imbalance both directly and indirectly. The conference focused, in particular, on the following areas and issues: International law has the unparalleled potential to support and protect women’s rights as well as to - The Potential for International Law to create a Framework for the Development and Protection equalize them to men’s rights. It also plays a vital role in the development and the progress of improving of Women’s Rights their future status. However, in order to improve the reality of women’s rights globally, and to implement - Using International Law for Effective Implementation of Gender Equality Policies international law at all levels, the legislation of these laws at the local parliamentary level must take place - The Role of Cultural Diplomacy to Promote Gender Equality in each individual country providing the framework for the application of women’s rights. Without this - Raising Awareness for Gender Equality Globally using International Law legal framework applied at both the global and the local level, it will be considerably more difficult to constitute and to assure the protection of women’s rights globally in a sustainable approach. The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy 2014 www.academy-for-cultural-diplomacy.org 4 The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy 2014 www.academy-for-cultural-diplomacy.org 5 The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights “An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Role of International Law in Promoting Women’s Rights” Helsink, March 10th - 12th, 2014 Speaker List Minister Erkki Tuomioja Pirkko Mahlamäki Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Secretary General of the Finnish Disability Forum; Board Member of European Disability Forum The Hon. Mari Kiviniemi Former Prime Minister of Finland Prof. Dr. Stefan Kirchner Visiting Professor for Fundamental and Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Lapland Minister Elisabeth Rehn Former Minister of Defense of Finland Former Terttu Savola, Chairperson, the Poor Party of Finland Member of Parliament of the Swedish Peoples Party of Finland Member, Council of the City of Espoo; Ambassador for Human Rights and Children’s Rights in the Finnish United Nations Alliance H. E. Amb. Sello Moloto Ambassador of South Africa to Finland H.E. Amb. Datin Seri Blanche Olbery Ambassador of Malaysia to Finland H.E. Amb. Norma Bertha Pensado Moreno Ambassador of Mexico to Finland Dr. Alessandra Sarelin Researcher, Institute for Human Rights, Åbo Akademi University Johanna Norrback-Ilvessalo Senior Associate, Attorneys at Law Borenius LtD The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy 2014 www.academy-for-cultural-diplomacy.org 7 The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights (Helsinki, March 10th - 12th, 2014) icd The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights fo rfor TheACADEMY Center “An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Role of International Cultural Diplomacy Studies CULTURAL DIPLOMACY Law in Promoting Women’s Rights” The Helsinki Conference on International Law & Women’s Rights Helsink, March 10th - 12th, 2014 Conference Timetable Conference Timetable Monday, March 10th, 2014 Dr. Alessandra Sarelin H.E. Amb. Norma Bertha Pensado Moreno Location: The Foreign Ministry of Finland 09:30 Registration (Researcher, Institute for Human Rights, Åbo (Ambassador of Mexico to Finland) Akademi University) Tea, Coffee & Refreshments 15:30 Break “Finnish Gender Equality Policies - What Role for Location: 10:00 “The Role of International Law in “A Female Attorney’s Role in the Pursuit of Gender International Law?” The Foreign Ministry of Finland Promoting Women’s Rights” Equality” Dr. Johanna Kantola (Lecture & Discussion) Johanna Norrback-Ilvessalo (Academy Research Fellow, Gender Studies, Senior Associate, Attorneys at Law Borenius LtD Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and Art 16:00 Panel 3: “International Perspectives on Studies, University of Helsinki) Speaker: Minister Elisabeth Rehn Raising Awareness for Gender Equality Globally Minister Erkki Tuomioja (Former Minister of Defense of Finland) using International Law” (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland) “The role CEDAW and the Convention on the Rights Location: The Foreign Ministry of Finland of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in the Promotion of the Rights of Women with Disabilities” Chairperson: Location: The Foreign Ministry of Finland Pirkko Mahlamäki Mark C. Donfried 12:30 Lunch Break (Secretary General of the Finnish Disability Forum; (Director General & Founder, Institute for Cultural 11:00 Panel 1: “The Role of International Location: The Foreign Ministry of Finland Board Member of European Disability Forum) Diplomacy) Law in Promoting Women’s Rights” 14:00 Panel 2: “International Perspectives on “The Possibilities of Gender Advisors to Advance Raising Awareness for Gender Equality Globally Speakers: Chairperson: Women’s Rights in the Context of International using International Law” The Hon. Mari Kiviniemi Peace-Keeping and Crisis Management” Prof. Dr. Stefan Kirchner (Former Prime Minister of Finland) Prof. Dr. Elina Penttinen (Visiting Professor for Fundamental and Human Chairperson: (University Lecturer, Gender Studies, University of Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Lapland) Mark C. Donfried Speakers: Helsinki) (Director General & Founder, Institute for Cultural “Implementation of International and National Diplomacy) “Honour Related Violence Against Women” Laws when Customary Laws are Respected” “Equal Treatment also for The Smallest” Dr. Satu Lidman Terttu Savola Speakers: “The Impact of International Conventions (Chairperson, the Poor Party of Finland; Member, University Research Fellow, Faculty of Law, Legal on Gendered Violence Discourses in Finland” “Women’s Rights are Human Rights” Council of the City of Espoo; Ambassador for Human History, University of Turku, Finland Prof. Dr. Marjut Jyrkinen H. E. Amb. Sello Moloto Rights and Children’s Rights in the Finnish United (Ambassador of South Africa to Finland) Nations Alliance) (Professor, Department of Philosophy, History, Location: The