How can the international community advance human dignity in the wake of popular uprisings in North African and Middle East countries?
The U.S. Agency for International Development is seeking answers to this question as it hosts government officials and international experts for its third annual Democracy, Human Rights and Governance Forum that runs June 21-22 in Washington, D.C.
The first day featured a keynote speech from Tawkkol Karman, one of the three recipients of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, on freedom and dignity in the context of the Arab Spring gave. Officials of innovative organizations working in democracy, human rights and governance issues were also there.
Aside from innovative ways to promote human dignity, the DRG Forum is also exploring means to prevent atrocity, encourage political participation of women and girls, and advance government transparency. The forum will be followed by a DRG Workshop featuring DRG officers from USAID missions around the globe. The workshop will be held June 25-27 in Washington, D.C.
This edition of the forum and workshop are in line with USAID’s push to elevate human dignity and self-determination as a key element of the agency’s development approach. It also builds on the launch in February of the agency’s Center of Excellence in Democracy, Human Rights and Governance, which is currently led by David Yang.
The second day of the DRG forum will be webcast live at this link. The event can also be followed via the USAID twitter account and #DRGForum.
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