Parliament’s Role to Defend and Safeguard Human Rights: Inclusive Lawmaking, Holding Bad Actors Accountable, and Protecting Mechanisms to Redress Grievances

Effective democratic governance is critical to safeguarding human rights. With the global pandemic continuing to exacerbate existing inequalities, economic hardship, and protracted conflict, inclusive lawmaking is more important than ever in the delivery of resources and maintenance of basic rights. This session will discuss the ways legislatures can engage in inclusive, accountable democratic governance that upholds human rights. Specifically, these discussions will focus on the ways in which democratic processes raise awareness to challenges faced by marginalized communities, and support initiatives that build cooperation between different levels of government to spotlight critical voices and protect human rights.