In light of impending Swiss vote on a basic income, the United Nations Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) has organized a seminar entitled “Informality and Income Insecurity: Is Basic Income a Universal Solution?

The seminar, which features a diverse panel of experts, will be held at the Palace of Nations in Geneva on May 13, 2016.

From the event description:

The panellists will discuss where and under what circumstances a UBI can be an effective way for states to meet their human rights obligations and achieve some of the major aims set out in the Sustainable Development Goals, namely reducing inequality, eradicating poverty and achieving gender equality. Panellists will also consider the challenges of creating such schemes, such as the availability of resources, issues of long-term sustainability and their adaptability in developing and developed country contexts.

Speakers include UN Ambassadors Päivi Kairamo (Finland) and Regina Maria Cordeiro Dunlop (Brazil), Patricia Schulz of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Swiss federal official Thomas Vollmer, and Guy Standing and Ralph Kundig of the Basic Income Earth Network.

UNRISD director Paul Ladd will be moderating the discussion.

The event is open to the public.

Those who wish to follow live Tweets from the seminar should look for the hashtag #UNRISDseminar.

See the event description here.


Photo of Palais des Nations, Armillary Sphere CC U.S. Mission Geneva

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