Union of Jewish Students

UJS Send Campaigners & Activists to Geneva for Fun & Serious Work

UJS and Rene Cassin joined forces to take a few committed campaigners and activists to Geneva, to the UN Human Rights Council for the first time this year with amazing success.

The plane touched down in Geneva airport on the 9th of December and six UJS activists, two UJS campaigns staff, and two ReneCassin volunteers stepped off it to start a two and a half day adventure into the labyrinth that is the United Nations Human Rights Council. Working with ReneCassin, a Jewish Human Rights organisation (www.renecassin.org), UJS were able to take a select group of committed campaigners on a trip where knowledge of the proactive and reactive sides to campaigning could be utilised and extended beyond the campus world.

The United Nations Human Rights Council was established only last year after the abolition of the UN Human Rights Commission. A hub of government representatives from across the globe, of determined and patient NGOs, of networking and negotiating, the UNHRC is a fascinating place and our students took that to its fullest potential, cornering various state representatives, and exploring the hidden depths of the UN building at every opportunity!

The UJS-ReneCassin trip to Geneva provided a great experience for all the participants. UJS were able to research, write and deliver an intervention to the Council.

Carly Maisel from Nottingham made a crucial plea, to the entire Council, that it commit itself fully to the protection of Darfuris and to use its power to bring a cessation to the endless violence in the region.

The group were able to meet Human Rights Watch, another NGO, to get an insight into the world of campaigning on issues beyond campus. We also engaged with the British Mission to the UN in Geneva, and later the British Ambassador himself, challenging them on issues from Burma to the UK’s policy of returning Darfuri asylum seekers back to Khartoum. The Israeli Ambassador to the UN gave a unique, frank and in-depth meeting to us providing greater insight into the political machinations of the UNHRC.

It is surprising that given how busy we were at the Council, we actually managed to soak up some of the Swiss culture! We enjoyed a cheese fondue meal, devoured the Swiss chocolates, took in the picturesque landscapes and even finding a nargillah bar to wind down in!

(Written by Jenni Woolf, National Campaigns Fieldworker)