The Nitrogen revolution in Fryslan
I want to briefly raise an issue very relevant to the topic of development and human rights. The Dutch government has recently launched a new agricultural policy, whereby the provinces…
The role of sport in development and human rights
At the 1-2 September 2022 conference: Human Rights Council, Europe and Central Asia seminar. The contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights, at the panel: The essential…
Participation at the United Nations EMRIP
On 4 to 8 July 2022, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) held its 15th session in Geneva, Switzerland. The theme of this year’s edition was:…
Statement to the EMRIP on the Frisian language
Distinguished members, I want to give a brief presentation on the situation of an indigenous language in northwestern Europe, namely Frisian. Frisian used to be a language that was spoken…
Statement to the EMRIP on the Rehoboth Basters
Distinguished guests, I wish to describe the situation of the Rehoboth Basters. The Rehoboth Basters are a community of approximately fifty-thousand people who mostly reside in their traditional lands in…
Minority rights and mineral extraction for the global energy transition in West Papua
On 14 and 15 June 2022 the United Nations Special Rapporteur and the Tom Lantos Institute organised the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Minority Issues. The event was held online. “The…
Participation in the European-Central Asia Regional Forum 2022
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, the Tom Lantos Institute and the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna organised the European-Central Asia Regional Forum on 2 and 3 May 2022,…
Statement to the Asia-Pacific Regional Minority Forum
On 7 and 8 September 2021, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues and the Tom Lantos Institute organised the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum. Its topic was conflict prevention and…