Pramila Patten, UN Under-Secretary-General, Doctor Honoris Causa

The graduation ceremony was held as part of the international symposium organized on January 25 and 26 by Université Côte d'Azur (Institut de la Paix et du Développement and Chaire UNESCO " Peace and Development through Law"), in partnership with Bibliothèque sans frontières and the UN, on the fight against conflict-related sexual violence. The aim of this high-level international symposium is to identify gaps and obstacles in the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence, by combining legal and multi-disciplinary scientific expertise with the field experience of leading players.

Closer interaction with international organizations

The awarding of the insignia of Doctor Honoris Causa to Pramila Patten, and the collaborations she is initiating, are part of Université Côte d'Azur's ambition to raise its international profile, notably through scientific diplomacy, and the objective of strengthening interactions with international organizations. It is also part of the drive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular here, SDG 5 - Gender Equality, and SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Effective Institutions).

Additional commitment to women's health

On a thematic level, the awarding of this distinction to Pramila Patten aims to develop Université Côte d'Azur's commitment to women's health. It thus complements the actions undertaken as part of the "Women's Health" teaching chair co-sponsored by Université Laval and Université Côte d'Azur. It also reinforces the project to extend collaboration with Mauritius (of which Pramila Patten is a national), one of whose themes is the repair (surgical and other) of sexual violence against women.