UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD Mechanisms (M) M2 – Awareness and knowledge about the use of human rights mechanisms increased among NHRIs and government representatives. OHCHR supported greater awareness and use of international human rights mechanisms by NHRIs and government representatives from the Russian Federation. In 2018, Russia’s High Commissioner for Human Rights (NHRI) submitted several reports to human rights mechanisms, with OHCHR assisting with information on procedures, timelines and substance. It prepared a shadow report for CRPD prior to its consideration of the Russian Federation’s initial report. A representative of the NHRI attended the sixty-fourth session of CAT and presented a shadow report mentioning 5,063 complaints received by the Ombudsperson in 2017, mostly focusing on poor living conditions and medical services. The Ombudsperson’s Office also submitted a report prior to the Russian Federation’s third UPR cycle. Within the 2007 Framework of Cooperation between OHCHR and the Russian Federation, 13 Russian Federation civil servants, 8 women and 5 men from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Interior, Youth, Sports, as well as representatives from the Office of the Russian Federation at the European Court of Human Rights and the State Penitentiary Service, received training during a one-week human rights orientation programme that was held in Geneva, in November 2018. OHCHR facilitated a series of interactive learning sessions on the promotion and protection of human rights, and OHCHR’s mandate. The orientation programme also focused on the work of the international human rights mechanisms and the importance of 294 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 Spotlights: UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD following up on their recommendations. The participants found the programme to be particularly useful for coordinating efforts between government officials responsible for national reporting and interacting with the international human rights mechanisms. Non-Discrimination (ND) ND1 – NHRIs and civil society organizations significantly strengthen their anti-discrimination work, giving particular regard to domestic violence, gender equality, disability, and the rights of indigenous peoples. This work complies with international human rights standards. The Office contributed to increasing the level of compliance of legislation/policy with international human rights norms and standards regarding the rights of indigenous peoples and minority rights. OHCHR continued to build the capacity of indigenous peoples to undertake advocacy and facilitated the selection of candidates (70 per cent of whom were women) from different regions of the Russian Federation for the Russianlanguage component of the OHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Programme. The Moscow segment, which was implemented by the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and received technical support from the Office, involved experienced advocacy practitioners, such as representatives from the Ombudsperson’s Office, government officials, members of the Council of the Federation, UN agencies and former Fellows. Building on previous anti-discrimination work, OHCHR cooperated with the Moscow city Government and the Moscow Ombudsperson to organize a high-level meeting on “Promoting diversity and a Women discrimination-free environment in cities hosting the FIFA World Cup 2018,” prior to the 2018 World Cup. OHCHR finalized the text of a “non-discrimination legacy package” that was elaborated by participants and circulated it to relevant stakeholders for follow-up beyond the World Cup. In collaboration with the Ombudsperson in the Voronezh region and with the support of the local Government, OHCHR co-organized an interregional conference titled “Problems of persons with disabilities in the current situation and measures related to the realization of their rights in accordance with CRPD.” The conference was held in Voronezh and included the participation of high-level State officials, human rights commissioners, journalists and civil society representatives. Concrete proposals for improving the situation were reflected in a resolution that was addressed to relevant regional and federal authorities for action. The proposals were also presented at the Moscow Interregional Expert Forum entitled “Modern tendencies in the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.” The Forum was organized by Moscow’s Ombudsperson, with support from the Moscow Government, and took place within the framework of celebrations of the seventieth anniversary of the UDHR and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Russian Constitution. In addition, under the Development pillar, OHCHR took steps to strengthen collaboration with business through interactions with the UN Global Compact Network Russia to promote the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the role of the private sector in implementing the SDGs. HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN PRACTICE: AN EXAMPLE OF FRUITFUL UN HUMAN RIGHTS-RUSSIA COOPERATION On 24 September, UN Human Rights and the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation co-organized a side event during the thirty-ninth session of the Human Rights Council to promote the Human Rights Master’s Programme (HRMP) that had been developed by the Consortium of nine Russian universities with support from the team at UN Human Rights in Moscow. In less than 10 years since the launch of the programme, as a result of international cooperation, more than 60 students have benefited from internships in 20 universities associated with the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratization (EUIC); over 100 individuals have participated in nine annual human rights summer schools in Venice and 216 graduated from universities across the Russian Federation, including in Voronezh, Kazan, Perm, Yekaterinburg and Moscow. As part of the development of the Master’s Programme, UN Human Rights facilitated access to international human rights expertise, advised on substance and methodology, promoted modules focusing on UN human rights mechanisms and reinforced collaboration and networking. In her opening remarks, the Deputy High Commissioner emphasized the importance of human rights education in strengthening knowledge and skills that are necessary for the development of a human rights culture that is based on the principles of UDHR. In her opinion, “a successful partnership between the Consortium of universities, national human rights institutions and UN Human Rights serves as a very good example of inter-institutional collaboration involving academics and practitioners.” As part of the existing curriculum, lectures are delivered by a wide range of human rights specialists with diverse profiles from Russia and abroad, including experts from the UN treaty bodies and special procedures, civil society, national human rights institutions and academics of universities forming part of the EUIC. “International exposure is essential to sharing knowledge on human rights and learning from the experiences and points of views of others. I sincerely hope the Programme will expand to new universities in Russia and beyond and attract a growing number of motivated students,” concluded the Deputy High Commissioner. The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, Ambassador Gennady Gatilov, stressed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs viewed this Programme as a tool to promote human rights through capacity-building, education and training and will continue rendering support for its realization. According to the Russian Federation’s Ambassador, “the cooperation agreement between Russia and UN Human Rights was signed in 2007 and human rights education – the Master’s Programme – was among its main priorities. When we started it, we definitely expected that it would eventually become a success. However, the outcome surpassed even our boldest expectations. The interest among both educational institutions and students was indeed huge, but this was more or less predictable. What we could not have predicted was the demand for graduates.” The side event gave the floor to representatives of Consortium universities who presented their achievements. In addition, two graduates of the Programme, who currently work in the Russian Permanent Mission in Geneva, also shared their stories. The HRMP is structured around international law and political science and follows an interdisciplinary approach. With UN Human Rights support, the Consortium developed human rights courses and textbooks on a wide range of issues, such as the work of international and regional human rights mechanisms, protection of vulnerable groups, including women, children, migrants, indigenous peoples, social and cultural rights, business and human rights, environmental rights and human rights in conflict. The event became the major HRMP promotional event at the international level in 2018 and attracted huge support from the audience for human rights education at the Master’s level, in Russia and abroad. UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 295