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DEFENDERS
38
Spr ing&Summer
2 0 1 5
VVDO
A c t i v i t i e s
Participation in the 28th Session of the Human Rights Council
The 28th Session of the Human Rights Council
took place from 2 to 27 March 2015 with the
participation of officials from countries in Geneva,
Switzerland, and over four weeks reviewed the
permanent working agenda of the Council. One
of the important aspects of the Session, was the
submission of the human rights situation of Iran
under Item 4 and the adoption of the conclusion
of the UPR on Iran under Item 6 of the Council.
As in previous years the ODVV has tried to have
a full presence i this Session and towards the
empowerment and capacity building of NGOs at
international levels, for the first time, held a capacity
building course for 12 NGOs in Consultative Status
to ECOSOC in this Session of the Council.
Preparation and Submission of Written and Oral
Statements
Two weeks prior to the start of the Session, the
ODVVprepared and submitted 4 written statements
on the following: Item 3 on the subject of women’s
conditions in Iran; Item 4 on the subject of children
in the Middle East victims of armed conflicts; Item
7 on the violation of human rights in the Golan
Heights; and Item 9 on the subject of Islamophobia.
These statements are documented and available to
read in the Human Rights Council website. The
ODVV also submitted and read 6 oral statements
on the following: Item 3 on the subject of children
in armed conflict; Item 4 on the spread of religious
extremism in Europe/ defamation of religion;
Item 5 on the subject of brutal crimes committed
against religious minorities; Item 6 on the UPR on
Iran; Item 7 on the Gaza conflict; and Item 9 on
Islamophobia.
Also as part of impacting the human rights
situation of Iran report, under Items 4 and 6 of the
Council, interactive dialogue took place with the
Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation
in Iran. Under Item 6 where the conclusions of the
UPR on Iran was adopted, representatives of Iranian
NGOs were present and read two oral statements.