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

WCL Events

1. 12TH ANNUAL SYLVANIA WOODS CONFERENCE ON AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE LAW: THE INTERSECTION OF MEDIA, LAW AND POLITICS
Wednesday, April 16, 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm, WCL 6th Floor, Wednesday, April 16, 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm, WCL 6th Floor
This annual conference honors the late Judge Woods, a 1960 WCL alumnus, who practiced law in both the District of Columbia and Maryland, faithfully served his community and his church, and went on to sit on the Fifth District Court of Maryland and, later, the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. The conference will again address -through the participation of practicing lawyers, jurists, alumni, faculty, students, and administrators - matters of law that profoundly affect African Americans and their cultures. The North Star Award, the Rising Star Award, and the Hairston Award will be presented, respectively, to a person from the black community who has done good and done well, a third-year law student, and members of the African-American alumni. Sponsored by the Office of Diversity Services. To register or for additional information, please contact the Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education at (202) 274-4075 or register online at www.wcl.american.edu/secle/cle_form.cfm.

2. WAR CRIMES SPEAKERS SERIES: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT ALUMNI TOUR
Friday, April 18, 12:30pm, Large Conference Room, Suite 16, Lower Level, 4910 Massachusetts Avenue.
On Friday, April 18th, WCL alumna Chante Lasco will discuss her experience as an intern at the International Criminal Court, the world's first permanent court set up to try persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern.This talk is being presented by the War Crimes Research Office in conjunction with Amnesty International's ICC Alumni Tour. The talk will take place at 12:30 PM in the Large Conference Room, Suite 16, Lower Level, 4910 Massachusetts Avenue (in one of the brick building across from Bagel City). Please e-mail warcrimes@wcl.american.edu for directions and to RSVP.

3. THE ROLE OF THE LAW SCHOOL IN PROMOTING AND PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS
Monday, April 21st and Tuesday, April 22nd, WCL Room 603
Please join us on April 21-22 to discuss the Role of Law Schools in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights. This event will be the first national convening of law school Centers for Human Rights and will provide a forum for discussion, sharing of information and thinking about the challenges and successes of law schools engaged in human rights work. The conference will open with a dinner on April 21 with a keynote address by Prof. Michael Tigar "Four Levels of Understanding in Clinical Human Rights Teaching." The day-long conference on April 22 will start with a discussion of various forms of teaching human rights in law schools to be followed by interactive facilitated roundtable discussions on specific aspects of research, training, advocacy and teaching.

Monday, April 21, 2008

7:00pm Welcome Dinner and Keynote Speech by Professor Emeritus Michael Tigar, “Four Levels of Understanding in Clinical Human Rights Teaching”

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

8:30am - 9:00am           Registration and Breakfast

9:00am - 9:15am           Welcome and Introduction

9:15am - 10:45am         Human Rights in the Law School Curriculum

• Formal Teaching - Prof. Doug Cassel, Notre Dame University
• Impact Litigation - Dean Claudio Grossman, AU WCL and Ali Beydoun, AU WCL UNROW Clinic
• Clinics - Prof. Peter Rosenblum, Columbia University (invited)
• HR Centers - Prof. David Weissbrodt, University of Minnesota 

10:45am - 11:00am        Coffee Break

11:00am - 12:30pm       Facilitated Roundtable Discussions 

• Specialized Programs/ Visitors and Specialized Fellowships
• Student Initiatives
• Clinics/Client Representation/Experiential Learning
• Documentation, Research and Technical Assistance/Training of Practitioners

12:30pm - 2:00pm        Report Back and Lunch

2:00pm - 3:30pm          International Approaches to Teaching Human Rights

• Prof. Nadeem Azam, University of Peshawar, Pakistan
• Prof. Teng Hongqing, South China University of Technology, China
• Prof. Laurence Sinopoli, University of Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, France
• Jorge Contesse, Universidad Diego Portales, Chile (invited)
• Prof. Rick Wilson, American University Washington College of Law

3:30pm - 3:45pm          Coffee Break

3:45pm - 5:00pm          What Law Schools Should Be Doing But Aren't

• Kenneth Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch
• Richard Goldstone, Former Justice, Constitutional Court of South Africa
• Elizabeth Anderson, Executive Director, American Society for International Law (invited)
• Jessica Farb, Graduating Student, American University Washington College of Law

5:00pm - 5:30pm          Next Steps

5:30pm - 7:00pm          Reception

To register or for additional information, please contact the Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education at (202) 274-4075 or register online at www.wcl.american.edu/secle/cle_form.cfm.

Community Events

1. INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
Wednesday, April 16, 5:30-7 p.m., Anderson Conference Room, School of Social Service, American University
Vital Voices invite you to an interactive panel on partnerships and strategies to tackle domestic violence. Join us and meet experts from Jordan and Bahrain who will share what is happening on the ground to combat domestic violence and support women's progress in the region. This Forum is part of an 11-day study tour organized by Vital Voices Global Partnership. The international delegation will meet with organizations that support victims of domestic violence and advocate for change in the United States. Light refreshments will be served. The event is co-Sponsored by: Council On Middle East Studies, Project Nur and the SIS Undergrad Student Council. For more information email comregstudies@listserv.american.edu.  

2. MEXICO'S DEMOCRACY: ARE POLITICS BEGINNING TO MATURE?
Thursday, April 17, 9-10:30am, Woodrow Wilson Center, 6th Floor Moynihan Board Room, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004
Shortly after the July 2006 presidential election in Mexico it looked like the country's political system was shaky and might even be on the verge of collapse.  In the past few months, however, the Mexican Congress and the Calderón administration have managed to pass a fiscal reform, electoral reform, and, just days ago, an important constitutional amendment to overhaul the judicial system.  Congress and the administration are now debating energy reform and have discussions pending on telecommunications, policing, and other matters. Are Mexico's politics maturing as the democratic process consolidates itself?  Or is this a period of calm before another storm? What should we be looking at in the current debate on energy and future discussions on other critical issues? To RSVP contact Diana Rodríguez at mexico@wilsoncenter.org or call her at 202-691-4399.

3. SPECIAL FILM SCREENING: THE MARIA GUARDADO STORY
Wednesday, April 23, 5:30 - 8:00 pm, Wechsler Theater, 3rd Fl., Mary Graydon Center, American University
Join the Center for Social Media for a screening on the story of Maria Guardado, who fled the U.S.-backed civil war in her native El Salvador in 1983. Because of her political activity, Maria Guardado was targeted by the Salvadoran death squads in 1980. She was tortured, raped and then left for dead in the street. Now living in Los Angeles, the film documents how Maria recovered from her personal horror & how she continues her life as a political activist and poet, injecting her survivor's perspective into that city's diverse and evolving progressive movement. A discussion and Q&A with director Randy Vasquez and Maria Guardado will follow the screening. For more information visit http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/events/testimony/876 or to RSVP contact Bree Bowman at bowman@american.edu.

Announcements & Professional Development Opportunities

1. CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SEEKS A FEW GOOD SUMMER DEAN'S FELLOWS - LAST CHANCE TO APPLY
The Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law is looking for a few good Summer Dean's Fellows to join us for a fun summer and to help us make our exciting human rights programming happen!!! You will assist in planning the Center's Annual Human Rights Film Series and other Fall Semester activities. The position also includes administrative tasks such as developing the Center's website and promotional materials. And, most importantly, you will help plan the Center's ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC, which has been brought back by popular demand! To apply, please send a resume and short cover letter to aparker@wcl.american.edu , with the subject line “Summer 2008 Dean's Fellow.” The position will remain open until filled.

2. OFFICE OF PUBLIC INTEREST SEEKS SUMMER DEAN'S FELLOW
The Office of Public Interest is seeking a Summer Dean's Fellow to work 20 hours/week on a number of projects including: outreach to public interest employers and WCL alumni, writing the Public Interest Wire newsletter, development of pro bono initiatives and the Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program (PILRAP). Some additional research and writing may be required. This is a great opportunity for a student taking summer classes. Sense of humor, excellent writing, computer and interpersonal skills are required, a passion for social justice issues is a plus. Interested candidates should submit a current resume and brief cover letter to Charlene Gomes, Public Interest Coordinator at cegomes@wcl.american.edu . Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

3. THE HUMAN RIGHTS BRIEF IS HIRING SENIOR STAFF FOR THE 2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR
We encourage all interested students to apply, including those who've never served on the HRB. The applications will be released on Monday, April 14, 2008 at 5:00 electronically and in hard copy outside the HRB Office (Rm 630). Applications will be due at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2008. Please note that the positions are 10 hour per week Dean's fellowships (PIPS fellows are not eligible for the paid Dean's fellowship). Please note that applications for Junior Staff Writer and Junior Editor positions will be available in August 2008. We look forward to receiving your applications. For additional information, please email hrbrief@wcl.american.edu or call 202-274-4023.

The following positions are available:

• Senior Articles Editors (2):
  The Senior Articles Editors organize the entire editing process, from creating a calendar to distributing assignments to communicating with authors. They review articles and handle PDF edits toward the end of the editing process. The Senior Articles Editors also educate the staff on common editing and grammatical mistakes, communicate editing deadlines, and update editing guidelines.
• Managing Editor (1):
  The Managing Editor is responsible for the overall smooth running of the office. The Managing Editor manages the database, office maintenance, and office hours. The managing editor also assists with the Alumni Committee and organizes periodic lunches with practitioners, trainings, volunteer opportunities, and events for the Human Rights Brief staff. The Managing Editor serves as the primary point of contact for the Brief's subscription service providers and subscribers regarding back-order requests, new subscriptions, and payment. Finally, the Managing Editor serves as a primary editor for at least one article per issue.
• Blog Editor:
  The Blog Editor is the primary staff member responsible for overseeing and implementing the new Human Rights Brief blog project, and editing, reviewing and maintaining the content of the blog. The Blog Editor also coordinates the staff blog committee. Finally, the Blog Editor serves as the primary editor for at least one article per issue.

4. THE ACADEMY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SEEKS A LEGAL RESEARCHER, APPLY TODAY!
The Academy seeks an enthusiastic student to take a high level of responsibility to assist the Academy's Co-Directors, Claudia Martin and Diego Pinzón Rodríguez, in various research projects including an exciting collaboration with Oxford University Press and the American University International Law Review.  This particular project entails the drafting of summaries of the Inter-American Court and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights decisions, to be done by the International Law Review, which are to be published by Oxford in a new international law online database.  The student will oversee the project's execution and act as the liaison between Oxford University Press and the International Law Review.  Responsibilities include maintaining delivery schedules, advising on drafts, and assuring the quality and accuracy of the reports.  This is a great opportunity for students with excellent writing skills to contribute to wider international recognition of the Inter-American Human Rights System.

The student will also provide support to the Academy's Co-directors for other projects such as researching and editing articles for publication in various scholarly publications, such as the Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights and other academic journals.  Attention to detail, organizational skills, familiarity with Microsoft Office programs, and an interest in international law issues are essential.  Knowledge of Spanish is preferred, but not required.  A minimum commitment of 27 hours/week is required, but the student may work additional hours if they prefer or if necessary.  The salary for this position is $12/hour.

Although the position is typically a year-long commitment beginning in the fall, students may start over the summer.  Those students who are interested in obtaining work only for the summer are also encouraged to apply, but preference will be given to those who can commit for the entire year.  Position is ideal for evening students who would like to complement their current studies and gain research experience outside the classroom.  To apply: please send a cover letter, resume and short writing sample (max. 10 pages) to hracademy@wcl.american.edu.  Please indicate that you are applying for the Academy's “Legal Researcher” position in the subject line and whether you are interested in working during the summer or the full year.

5. SUMMER SESSION HEALTH LAW AND POLICY INSTITUTE, June 16-20
American University Washington College of Law (WCL) announces the first Annual Health Law and Policy Institute, providing JD and LL.M. students and practitioners, with an opportunity for intensive training in various aspects of health law and policy over a one-week period.The Summer Session offers a broad range of custom-developed courses taught by leading practitioners from private practice businesses, health care organizations, government and non-governmental organizations, specifically for an intensive learning format. The courses are designed to enhance the preparation of legal professionals for practicing health care law, and focus on both theoretical and practical aspects of health law and policy. For students, the Summer Session at the Health Law and Policy Institute can complement a summer internship or externship in exciting Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, where opportunities for an enriched health care law-related experience abound. Both day and night courses are available. Students can choose among several 1 credit classes and can take up to 3 credits. Courses in the Health Law and Policy Institute can be taken for law school credit or for Continuing Legal Education (CLE). The credits can also be used toward an LL.M. Program on Law and Government degree with a Health Law Specialization, from WCL. A Certificate of Attendance will be presented to participants who do not wish to take courses for academic credit. For more information email cparver@wcl.american.edu or visit www.wcl.american.edu/llmlawandgov/health/institute.cfm . 

6. CALL FOR PAPERS: GLOBAL WOMEN'S MOVEMENTS IN CHANGING SOCIETIES
Women for Women International, a non-profit humanitarian organization, seeks submissions for the Fall 2008 issue of its bi-annual academic journal, Critical Half. This issue will focus on global women's movements and women's movements globally in various contexts, including politics, women's rights, social change, religion, and economic endeavors. Women's movements may be global in their organization or effects, as in the international feminist movement, or they may be global in their concerns but local or ‘grassroots' in their organization and immediate impact. Papers might consider the genesis and logistics of women's movements; the underlying ideological concerns which give rise to and sustain, or counteract, these movements; or the interaction of women's movements with local, regional, and global organizations, such as religious groups, political parties, or local or international local women's groups.Papers which address issues of women's movements in conflict and post-conflict societies, developing countries, and trans-national contexts are particularly encouraged. Articles should be 2,000-2,500 words long. The deadline to submit the article is June 16th. For further information, including topic suggestions, article possibilities, and submission guidelines, please visit http://www.womenforwomen.org/cfpapers.htm or for more information email criticalhalf@womenforwomen.org .