60 Years of the ICCPR: Bringing Human Rights Closer to People

Sixty years after the adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), its promise remains as relevant as ever. Protecting fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, equality before the law, political participation and the prohibition of torture, the Covenant continues to serve as a cornerstone of the international human rights system – particularly at a time when these rights are under increasing pressure around the world.

To mark the anniversary, the Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR Centre) inaugurated a public outdoor exhibition on Geneva's Quai Wilson, in front of the historic Palais Wilson. In cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Geneva Office, and with the support of the République et Canton de Genève and the Ville de Genève, the exhibition was developed to feature illustrations by cartoonists from the Cartooning for Peace network and the Freedom Cartoonists Foundation, making the ICCPR and its provisions more accessible to a broad public.

More than a commemoration, the exhibition reflects a shared commitment to the values of freedom, justice and solidarity and to strengthening public understanding of human rights. At a time when fundamental rights face growing challenges worldwide, bringing the work of the United Nations human rights system closer to people's everyday lives is both timely and necessary.

Opening the event, Roland Chauville, Director of the CCPR Centre, stressed that international human rights law is meaningful only when it is understood, claimed and implemented by the people it is designed to protect. The exhibition, he noted, seeks to take the Covenant beyond expert circles and institutions and invite everyone into the conversation on human rights.

Christina Kitsos, Mayor of Geneva, situated the anniversary within today's global context of democratic backsliding, disinformation and increasing pressure on fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and media independence. Calling the ICCPR "a compass for our troubled times," she recalled Eleanor Roosevelt's famous observation that human rights begin "in small places, close to home," and welcomed the exhibition for bringing international human rights out of conference rooms and into public space.

Similarly, Mahamane Cissé-Gouro, Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that human rights are not only for lawyers, diplomats or specialists, but belong to everyone. Through cartoons and visual storytelling, the exhibition translates complex issues into accessible narratives, encouraging visitors to reflect on the rights that many still cannot fully enjoy today.

Representing FES Geneva, Policy Adviser Ira Gibson underlined that civil and political rights are not abstract concepts but the foundation of free, just and democratic societies. She noted that the exhibition helps bridge the gap between international human rights discussions and people's everyday lives, while fostering greater understanding of the UN human rights system.

As the exhibition demonstrates, protecting human rights requires more than legal instruments alone. It depends on informed public debate, civic engagement and continued support for the international human rights system. 

Alongside the exhibition, the CCPR Centre also launched a publication that combines historical perspectives, legal analysis and illustrations to make the Covenant accessible to wider audiences.

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More information on the exhibition

News article by Tribune de Genève