ECPM’s political season begins – The Proceedings of the 7th World Congress presented to the UN
12 September 2019
The Proceedings of Brussels: the imprint of the world's largest abolitionist event
Six months after the 7th World Congress against the Death Penalty, ECPM is proud to announce the publication of the Proceedings of the Brussels Congress. This unpublished, documented and illustrated book reports on the rich debates held during the Congress and discusses the new associative and political dynamics promoted in this context.
For the occasion, ECPM, the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations and the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations in Geneva organized a launch event during the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council at the United Nations Office in Geneva on 12 September.
"Strategies for abolition in Sub-Saharan Africa & the private sector and the death penalty", side-event to launch the Proceedings, 12 September 2019.
The 7th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, organised by ECPM in partnership with the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and sponsored by the Government of Belgium, the European Union, the European Parliament, Switzerland and Norway, was held in Brussels from 26 February to 1 March 2019. It brought together about 1,500 activists, political authorities, diplomats, parliamentarians, lawyers, researchers and students from all 5 continents.
The links between the private sector and the abolitionist movement are closer than one might think. The side-event organized at the United Nations on 12 September provides an opportunity to take stock of the bridges that exist between these two worlds, which meet to raise the values of the right to life to a higher level. Remarkable positive progress has been made in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, particularly with the recent abolition of the death penalty in Guinea and Burkina Faso. It is also an opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities for abolition strategies in this promising area, in order to address the question "Will Africa be the next abolitionist continent? »
Among the 350 political representatives present at the Congress were 25 ministers or former heads of state, more than half of whom were from the target countries. ECPM is working to develop strong relationships with the authorities that have participated in it in order to strengthen its advocacy efforts in the target countries and to ensure that the commitments made will be effectively implemented.
Relive the 7th World Congress in video!
The main themes, reflections and perspectives of the abolitionist struggle observed during this major event are also to be found in the film of the 7th World Congress.