BIG to spotlight French colonial legacy at high-profile Geneva conference Call for decolonization and justice

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) will host an international conference titled "International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Consequences of French Colonialism" on October 22 during the 142nd session of the Human Rights Committee at the UN office in Geneva.

The event will feature participation from parliamentarians, leaders of non-governmental organizations, political parties, experts, academics, and think tank researchers from regions under French and Dutch colonial influence, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The list includes Martinique, New Caledonia, Guadeloupe, Bonaire, Saint Martin, French Polynesia, Mayotte, French Guiana, Corsica, and Guyana, 

Prominent activist and African rights advocate Kemi Seba is also expected to attend.

The conference aims to examine the social, political, and environmental impacts of colonial policies by France and the Netherlands, urging the global community to support the decolonization process. The main focus will be on recognizing the right to self-determination for people still under colonial rule and finding solutions based on international law to build a just future.

Key discussions will cover the historical and ongoing effects of French colonialism, including economic dependency, social rights violations, and environmental challenges in these territories.

Additionally, the conference will address the application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, emphasizing its role in promoting equal rights in colonial regions.

The platform aspires to give a voice to people under colonial oppression, advocating for their right to sovereignty and fostering dialogue to create a fair and sustainable future based on international legal principles.

BIG, founded on July 6, 2023, during the Non-Aligned Movement's ministerial meeting led by Azerbaijan, has been pivotal in supporting independence movements. To date, BIG has organized around 15 international conferences, including events at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, as well as in Istanbul and Baku, to raise awareness of colonialism as a persistent global issue in the 21st century.

By Tamilla Hasanova