Dr. Gita Sen, Professor at the Centre for Public Policy at IIMB, has been invited to serve as the Chair of the third session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues which will take place on 14 and 15 December 2010 in the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The thematic focus for this year is "Minorities and Effective Participation in Economic Life".
The Forum was established by the UN Human Rights Council resolution 6/15 of 17 September 2007, with the aim to provide a unique platform for dialogue between persons belonging to ethnic, racial, religious or linguistic minority populations from around the world and the international community on critical topics of concern. The Forum identifies and analyses best practices and challenges for the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities; and contributes to the efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to improve cooperation among United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies regarding the protection of the rights of minorities. The Forum meets annually for a two-day thematic discussion on minority issues and is open to the participation of a wide range of stakeholders including States, United Nations and regional bodies, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and individual experts.
One of the most important functions of the Forum is to give a voice to minority communities around the world, and accordingly serious efforts are made to identify persons from ethnic, racial, religious and linguistic minority groups who can articulate the interests and concerns of their communities in the thematic area of focus. As such, the invitation to Chair the forthcoming session of the UN Forum is considered a significant honour.
Professor Gita Sen joined IIMB in 1993 and presently serves at the Centre for Public Policy at IIMB. She served as the Sir Ratan Tata Chair Professor at IIMB during 2000-2006. Her key research areas are Health and Population; Gender and Development; Inequality. Professor Gita Sen also serves as Adjunct Professor of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University from 2002 to present.
She was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Medicine and Foreign Adjunct Professor title in May 2003 by Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. She received D.Litt (honoris causa) from University of East Anglia, Norwich in 1998, and an Honorary Doctorate from the Open University (UK) in 2009. Professor Gita Sen was honoured with the Volvo Environment Prize in 1994.
She has also served on numerous national and international boards and committees. Professor Gita Sen holds an M.A. in Economics from the University of Delhi and a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University, USA.
Dr. Gita Sen, Professor at the Centre for Public Policy at IIMB, has been invited to serve as the Chair of the third session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues which will take place on 14 and 15 December 2010 in the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The thematic focus for this year is "Minorities and Effective Participation in Economic Life".
The Forum was established by the UN Human Rights Council resolution 6/15 of 17 September 2007, with the aim to provide a unique platform for dialogue between persons belonging to ethnic, racial, religious or linguistic minority populations from around the world and the international community on critical topics of concern. The Forum identifies and analyses best practices and challenges for the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities; and contributes to the efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to improve cooperation among United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies regarding the protection of the rights of minorities. The Forum meets annually for a two-day thematic discussion on minority issues and is open to the participation of a wide range of stakeholders including States, United Nations and regional bodies, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and individual experts.
One of the most important functions of the Forum is to give a voice to minority communities around the world, and accordingly serious efforts are made to identify persons from ethnic, racial, religious and linguistic minority groups who can articulate the interests and concerns of their communities in the thematic area of focus. As such, the invitation to Chair the forthcoming session of the UN Forum is considered a significant honour.
Professor Gita Sen joined IIMB in 1993 and presently serves at the Centre for Public Policy at IIMB. She served as the Sir Ratan Tata Chair Professor at IIMB during 2000-2006. Her key research areas are Health and Population; Gender and Development; Inequality. Professor Gita Sen also serves as Adjunct Professor of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University from 2002 to present.
She was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Medicine and Foreign Adjunct Professor title in May 2003 by Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. She received D.Litt (honoris causa) from University of East Anglia, Norwich in 1998, and an Honorary Doctorate from the Open University (UK) in 2009. Professor Gita Sen was honoured with the Volvo Environment Prize in 1994.
She has also served on numerous national and international boards and committees. Professor Gita Sen holds an M.A. in Economics from the University of Delhi and a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University, USA.