Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Human Rights News & Events

WCL Events


1. ***TONIGHT*** EIGHT ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS FILM SERIES: DEVIL’S MINER, Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 6:00pm, Rm. 603
Like to go to the movies? This Fall, the Center, in conjunction with the AU Center for Social Media, the Center for Global Peace, the Kay Spiritual Life Center, and School of International Service will sponsor the Eighth Human Rights Film Series. The film series explores ways in which film and media can be used to promote and protect human rights. Films will be screened twice, first on Wednesdays at WCL and again on Thursday nights on AU Main Campus.  Out of respect for those breaking the Ramadan fast, light refreshments will be served at each screening. Each film will be followed by a discussion with a guest speaker from local NGOs and institutions.
For more information contact the Center’s Program Coordinator, Amelia Parker, at humlaw@wcl.american.edu.  A complete list of films featured in this year’s film series is listed below or for additional information, please visit the Center’s website at www.wclcenterforhr.org.

DEVIL'S MINER (2006)

Fourteen-year-old Basilieo and his younger brother work in the mines of Cerro Rico in Bolivia, where devout Catholic miners sever their ties with God upon entering the mountain. Winner, Tribeca Film Festival Best Documentary Special Mention.
WCL: Wednesday, October 17, 6:00pm, WCL Room 603
Main Campus: Thursday, October 18, 6:30pm, Wechsler Theatre, 3rd floor, Mary Graydon Center

SIERRA LEONE'S REFUGEE ALL-STARS (2005)

An inspiring story of survival and rebirth in the wake of the horrors of Sierra Leone’s Civil War, and a triumphant testament to the power of music. SXSW 2006 Film Festival Winner.
WCL: Wednesday, October 24, 6:00pm, WCL Room
Main Campus: Thursday, November 1, 6:30pm, Wechsler Theatre, 3rd floor, Mary Graydon Center

SPECIAL EVENT: HUMAN RIGHTS IN A TIME OF WAR: AN EVENING WITH GHOSTS OF ABU GHRAIB PRODUCER LIZ GARBUS!

Join us for a screening of the film Ghosts of Abu Ghraib and discussion with award-winning human rights film pioneer Liz Garbus as she shares her experiences and answers your questions about the making of this provocative film.  Ghosts of Abu Ghraib is a beyond-the-headlines look into the psychological and political contexts of the torture at Iraq’s infamous prison. An HBO Documentary, also featured at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.  There will be a one-time showing for this film.  This event takes place against the backdrop of Fernando Botero’s startlingly barbaric exhibit, Botero: Abu Ghraib.
Katzen Arts Center: Thursday, November 8, 5:30 pm

2. COOL HUMAN RIGHTS WORK I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION, Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 12:00-1:20pm, Rm. 402
The Center, in conjunction with the Office of Career Services (OCS) and the Office of Public Interest (OPI), strives to assist students in gaining a better understanding of what working in human rights really means. This event allows incoming students to hear their peers talk about the amazing human rights work they did over their summer break. Students will discuss working in the domestic and international spheres, how they got their positions, the best and worst parts of working abroad, and will offer advice on finding a great summer experience. Presenters include students who worked at the Center for Constitutional Rights (New York City), Southern Poverty Law Center (Mississippi), Farmworker Legal Services (Michigan), Save the Young (Cameroon) and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (Bosnia). All students are invited to attend. Lunch will be served. For more information contact Amelia Parker at humlaw@wcl.american.edu or visit the Center’s website at http://www.wcl.american.edu/humright/center.

3. LOOKING FOR A JOB IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST ? COME TO AN EVENT ON 3L PUBLIC INTEREST JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES,
Thursday, October 25, 12pm-1:20pm, Rm. 601
Are you a graduating student who wants to secure public interest employment? Come to this session to learn valuable job search tips and hear from alumni who successfully navigated the public interest job search process.  Sponsored by the Office of Public Interest and Office of Career & Professional Development.  For additional information, please contact Claire Raj at craj@wcl.american.edu.

4. THE POVERTY LAW SOCIETY PRESENTS A PANEL ON DC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT,
Tuesday, November 6, 12pm-1:20pm, Location TBD
Join the Poverty Law Society for a discussion of one of the prominent poverty issues affecting the Washington, DC community - housing development.  For additional information, contact Shanti Martin at shantimartin@yahoo.com.

Community Events


1. HUMAN RIGHTS, CORRUPTION, AND THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT. Thursday, October 18, 2007, 12:00pm, Kay Spiritual Life Center Lounge, American University
The University Chaplain will host the visit of Senator Gustavo Petro of Colombia who had long been involved in human rights advocacy beginning with the peace process in the 1990's and the re-writing of the country's constitution. A pizza lunch will be served. Please RSVP to gettings@american.edu by October 17th.

2. NEGOTIATING WITH NORTH KOREA: LESSONS AND CHALLENGES, Tuesday, October 23, 6:30-8:30 pm, 1957 E Street, NW, Harry Harding Auditorium, Suite 213
The George Washington University Security Policy Forum, Sigur Center for Asian Studies, and the Security Policy Studies Program invite  you to attend the panel: “Negotiating with North  Korea: Lessons and  Challenges” featuring Victor Cha, U.S. Deputy Head of Delegation  to the Six Party Talks; James A. Kelly, Assistant U.S. Secretary of  State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (2001-2005) and President of the EAP  Associates; Joel Wit, Coordinator for the 1994 Agreed  Framework,  U.S. State Department (1995-2001); and Kirk W. Larsen, Director, Sigur Center for  Asian Studies, George  Washington  University (moderator). Please RSVP to: spf@gwu.edu.

3. CYPRUS: A DISCUSSION OF THE CONTINUED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, Thursday, October 25, 2007, 10:00am – 11:30pm, Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, 2211 R Street NW, Washington, D.C.
To welcome Alexis Galanos, the Mayor of the City of Famagusta of the Republic of Cyprus, Ambassador Andreas Kakouris requests the pleasure of your company for an interactive discussion of the current human rights situation on the island. For more than 33 years, the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Cyprus have been seriously violated.  The Mayor of Famagusta, Alexis Galanos, is a living symbol of the continuing human rights abuses against the Cypriots.  He was forced to leave his home during the 1974 invasion by Turkish military forces, and today his city is still occupied by Turkish forces, as is 36.2% of Cyprus’ territory. Galanos will discuss the importance of the continued human rights violations occurring in Cyprus today - more than 33 years after the 1974 invasion.  For more information contact the Cyprus Embassy at press.office@cyprusembassy.net.

4. REGISTER NOW FOR THE SEMINAR ON “USING INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE IN THE U.S,” Wednesday, October 31, 2007, Holiday Inn on the Hill, 415 NJ Ave., NW, Washington DC 20001
Please join us for a day of nuts-and-bolts instruction from international law experts and activists. You do not need to be a lawyer to get valuable information from the seminar, and non-lawyers receive a substantial discount. Please note that Ajamu Baraka of the US Human Rights Network is scheduled to be one of the presenters. Panelists: John Brittain, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Ajamu Baraka, US Human Rights Network; the Hon. Claudia Morcom (ret.), former Wayne County Michigan Circuit Court Judge; Lance Tapley, journalist for the Portland, Maine Phoenix; Ann Fagan Ginger, Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute; Curtis Cooper, National Lawyers Guild International Committee; Marjorie Cohn, President, National Lawyers Guild; Bruce Zagaris, Berliner Corcoran & Rowe, LLP. Registration fees postmarked by October 10, 2007 are $150 for lawyers, $for students, $80 for all others. Registration fees postmarked after 0ctober 10, 2007 are $175 for lawyers, $60 for students, $100 for all others. Make checks payable to "MCLI", P.O. Box 673, Berkeley, CA 94701-0673. Register now for better rates! More information is available on the NLG International Committee website: www.nlginternational.org/event/current.php#59

Announcements & Professional Development Opportunities

 

1. FEMINIST LEGAL THEORY AND FEMINISMS CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPERS, Abstracts for the papers due October 15, 2007 at 5 p.m.
This call for papers seeks submissions for the University of Baltimore School of Law’s upcoming Feminist Legal Theory and Feminisms Conference. The conference will begin with a keynote address by Gloria Steinem the evening of Thursday, March 6, 2008. On Friday, March 7, 2008, the conference will continue with a day of presentations by legal academics, practitioners and activists regarding current scholarship and/or legal work that explore the evolution of feminism and feminist legal theory and its application to current legal theory and practice. This conference begins with three questions: What wave of feminism currently exists, how is it affecting society and effectuating change, and how is it linked to the past waves? This conference will attempt to address these questions from the perspectives of activists, practitioners and academics. The conference will provide an opportunity for participants and audience members to exchange ideas about the current state of feminist legal theories and feminisms and how those theories are being actualized in practice. From the conference, we hope that a new discourse about the future of feminist legal theories and feminisms will begin. In addition, the conference is designed to provide presenters with the opportunity to gain extensive feedback on their papers. Abstracts for the papers should be sent to Professor Margaret E. Johnson (majohnson@ubalt.edu). Abstracts should be no longer than one page. We will notify presenters of selected papers by November 15, 2007.

2. UNITED NATIONS - A CHALLENGING INTERNATIONAL CAREER
The United Nations Secretariat is seeking highly qualified individuals for employment as junior professional officers (P-2 level). For this purpose, a competitive examination will be held on 26 February 2008 in the following disciplines: Environmental Specialists, Finance, Human Rights, Information Technology, Political Affairs, Program Evaluators and Statistics.
In order to qualify for the examination, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Be a national of one of the countries listed above;
  2. Be no more than 32 years old as of 31 December 2008 (born on or after January 1, 1976);
  3. Have at least a first-level university degree relevant to the occupational group to which they apply; and
  4. Be fluent in either English or French, the two working languages of the Secretariat. Knowledge of additional languages of the U.N. (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish) is an advantage.

Applications must be received by October 31, 2007 (acceptable by email, fax or mail). Detailed information about tested disciplines and the application process, as well as the application forms, can be found at www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/examin/exam.htm
Send your application to:

UNITED NATIONS
2008 NCRE, Room S-2575E
Examinations and Tests Section, OHRM
New York, NY 10017, U.S.A.
OR
Fax: (+1) (212) 963-3683
OR
E-mail: OHRM-NCE2008@un.org

3. SUMMER 2008 REFUGEE WOMENS RIGHTS LAW CLERK POSITIONS. Send in applications now!
The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS), one of the nations leading refugee advocacy organizations, is seeking full- time Judith Stronach Womens Rights Fellows for Summer 2008. The Center, which is based at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, works to advance womens human rights by focusing on gender-based asylum and broader migration and refugee policies, both in the U.S. and internationally. The law clerks will be involved in the full range of CGRSs work, including research and writing on key legal issues, appellate advocacy, the development of detailed country conditions information, the preparation of expert witness affidavits, and national policy work. Experience or background in immigration or asylum law is required. Experience with related areas, such as international human rights law should be mentioned. Spanish language desirable, but not required. Position runs from June 2 to August 8, 2008. Please indicate eligibility for work study, as well as your prospects for securing external funding. For more information on CGRS visit http://cgrs.uchastings.edu/.  All applications must be received by November 16, 2007.  Interested applicants should mail or fax a cover letter and resume to:
Diana Rodriguez
CGRS Summer Law Clerk Position
UC Hastings College of the Law
200 McAllister Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Fax: 415/581-8824
The cover letter should include how the applicants background is relevant to an organization committed to diversity in all respects. CGRS is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). All qualified persons including people of color, women, lesbians and gay men, are encouraged to apply.

4. OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE LEGAL INTERN POSITION. Send in applications now!
The OSI Washington office seeks to hire a Legal Intern to work on United States civil liberties issues and immigration policy. Specifically, the qualified applicant shall research and prepare reports on civil liberties and immigration policy issues with particular attention to human rights and national security. The Legal Intern will work under the supervision of the Senior Policy Analyst for Civil Liberties and Immigration Policy, and his or her duties will include: (1) Performing legal research (including LexisNexis and other research tools); (2) Drafting legal memoranda, background papers, and other advocacy materials; and (3) Attending hearings or meetings and drafting summaries and analysis. For additional information about OSI, please visit www.soros.org.  Apply Immediately.  Interested applicants should mail or fax a cover letter and resume to:
Lynthia Gibson-Price
Administrator
Open Society Institute- Washington Office
1120 19th Street, N.W., 8th Floor|
Re: Human Resources
Fax to: (202) 530-0128; or e-mail: osidcresume@osi-dc.org .

 

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The Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law compiles a newsletter at the start of each semester and distributes it to all students, faculty and staff as a resource for upcoming human rights events and opportunities at WCL. We hope you find it useful and look forward to seeing you at the many events that the Center and other offices and student groups have planned throughout the Fall. To access the Fall 2007 newsletter, please visit the following site: http://www.wcl.american.edu/humright/center/newsletter/fall07_newsletter.cfm

 

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