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

WCL Events

1. ELECTION 2008: TAKE ACTION & GET INVOLVED WITH ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS!
Tuesday, October 14, 12pm, Room 101
Interested in being 1 of 10,000 legal volunteers monitoring polls and ensuring the right of every individual to cast a vote on election day??  Join Action For Human Rights in a discussion on voting rights, the issues that voters will face on election day, and election protection. Guest speaker and presenter: Jon Greenbaum, Director of the Voting Rights Project at the lawyers’ committee for civil rights under law, organizers of the largest election protection coalition in the U.S.!  Lunch will be served. Action for Human Rights is a student organization that brings together students and faculty to promote awareness of domestic and international human rights issues and their legal implications.  We provide a forum for discussion about different issues and encourage you to take action.  Questions??  Contact ahr@wcl.american.edu

2. PROSECUTING SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED CRIMES BEFORE INTERNATIONAL/IZED CRIMINAL COURTS
Tuesday, October 14, 9am-5pm, Room 603
Please join the War Crimes Research Office and the Women and International Law Program of the Washington College of Law (WCL) for a full-day conference bringing together experts in international criminal law and feminist jurisprudence to examine advances and missed opportunities in the prosecution of sexual and gender-based crimes before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the ad hoc and hybrid criminal tribunal. RSVP is required. Please click here http://www.wcl.american.edu/gender/wlp/prosecuting_violence.cfm to RSVP. Please click here http://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/fall/2008/081014.cfm for more information, including a full schedule. Please email kraiem@wcl.american.edu with any questions.

3. NINTH ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS FILM SERIES KICKS OFF IN OCTOBER!
First Screening on Wednesday, October 15, 6pm, Room 603
Like to go to the movies? This fall, the Washington College of Law's Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, in conjunction with the American University's Center for Social Media, the Center for Global Peace, the Kay Spiritual Life Center, and School of International Service will sponsor the 9th Annual Human Rights Film Series. The film series explores ways in which film and media can be used to promote and protect human rights. This year's theme emphasizes human rights issues here in the United States, including a special event focused on the social and economic impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Gulf Coast. Films will be screened twice, first on Wednesday nights at the Washington College of Law and again on Thursday nights at the Wechsler Theatre on American University's Main Campus. All screenings are free and will feature post-screening discussions with award-winning filmmakers and human rights advocates. You may view a full schedule of the films at http://www.wcl.american.edu/humright/center/humanrights_festival08.cfm. For more information, please call WCL at 202-274-4180 or e-mail humlaw@wcl.american.edu or the Center for Social Media at 202-885-3107 or socialmedia@american.edu.

First film:
BANISHED:  AMERICAN ETHNIC CLEANSINGS (2007; 87 min.)
WCL: Wednesday, October 15, 6pm, Room 603; AU: Thursday, October 16, 5:30 PM, Wechsler Theatre
A hundred years ago, whites cleansed their towns of Black Americans. Today, their descendants demand justice for this unknown chapter in the history of U.S. racism. Special visit with Ms. Kibibi Tyehimba, Co-Chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America on October 15th and with director Marco Williams on October 16th. To visit the official website, click here.

Second Film:
THE BALLAD OF ESEQUIEL HERNANDEZ  (2007, 90 mins)
WCL: Wednesday, October 22, 6PM, Room 603; AU: Thursday,October 23, 5:30 PM, Wechsler Theatre
The story of Esequiel Hernandez, a young American man who was mistaken for a drug runner and killed by U.S. Marines on the Texas-Mexico border.  Special visit with producer Brendan Fitzgerald on October 23. To visit the official website, click here. 

4. PROFESSOR JAMES THURBER ON THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Thursday, October 16, 12pm-2pm, JD Student Lounge
Are you an international student and want to learn more about the US presidential elections? Join Professor James Thurber from AU's School of Public Affairs on a discussion about the US presidential election. This event is sponsored by ILSP. For more information, please contact Claire Shoolin at cshoolin@wcl.american.edu.

5. ADVOCACY BEFORE REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS BODIES: A CROSS-REGIONAL AGENDA
Monday, October 20, 9am -4:30pm, Room 603
American University Washington College of Law and the Inter-American Commission and Court on Human Rights present a one day conference at the Washington College of Law. Panels include “Perspectives, Approaches and Experiences in Combating Impunity”, “The Scope of Reparations: Challenges in Defining their Scope and Guaranteeing their Enforcement” and the “Institutional Challenges facing the Inter-American and African Systems for the Protection of Human Rights”. The conference will include transport to the Organization of American States for a Dinner and Keynote Address by Juan E. Mendez, President, International Center for Transitional Justice. Students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff & General Public- no charge (registration is required). CLE Accreditation in VA, PA, and NY other states can be applied to by Washington College of Law upon request. CLE Registration: $35. To see a full conference agenda, please click on the following link: http://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/fall/2008/documents/macarthur_lecture_10_20_08.pdf. To register for this event please click the following link: http://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration.cfm. For more information, please email secle@wcl.american.edu.

6. NUTS AND BOLTS OF DOING HUMAN RIGHTS WORK PRESENTS REALIZING YOUR VISION: FOUNDING AN NGO
Tuesday, October 21, 12-1:20pm, Rm. 503
WCL student Erik Swanson will discuss the journey he took from working as director of a secondary school in Guatamala to eventually founding Roots and Wings International, an NGO that promotes higher education in impoverished indigenous regions of Guatamala. He will describe the practical steps he took from first having only a vision to actually establishing an NGO that currently provides 17 university scholarships to indigenous students as well as afterschool tutoring to 250 elementary school students in the surrouding area. Lunch will be served. To learn more about Roots and Wings, click visit http://www.rootsandwingsintl.org/. For more information, please contact humlaw@wcl.american.edu.

7. RADIO FOR JUSTICE: MAKING SENSE OF RULE OF LAW IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) IS INVESTIGATING
Wednesday, October 22, 12pm-1:30 PM, Room 401
This event features Wanda Hall, Founder & Director, Interactive Radio for Justice and Outreach Adviser to the Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. Interactive Radio For Justice (IRfJ) broadcasts programs over community radio in regions where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating the most serious crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes) to promote dialogue between local populations and the national and international authorities responsible for rendering justice to them. IRfJ’s programming is broadcast in French, Swahili and Lingala throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, and provides a forum for listeners to ask questions about justice, reconciliation, and the rule of law. To RSVP or for more information, please contact: Nathalie Maréchal at the War Crimes Research Office, Washington College of Law, warcrimes@wcl.american.edu.

Community Events

1. TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN COLOMBIA: THE WORK OF THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
Wednesday, October 15, 8:30AM-10am, 6th Floor Flom Auditorium, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
The Latin American Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, The United States Institute of Peace and the Inter-American Dialogue are pleased to invite you to this event. Colombia's National Committee of Reparation and Reconciliation (CNRR) includes an investigative arm known as Historical Memory (MH). Historical Memory is charged with producing an account of the origins and evolution of Colombia's internal armed conflict, giving special attention to the perspectives of victims. The team includes professionals from a variety of disciplines and is directed by historian Gonzalo Sanchez. MH's work posits an essential link between the reconstruction of memory and democratic strengthening. In addition to producing a general narrative of violence--taking into account themes of gender, ethnicity, and political and social identities--MH is investigating several emblematic cases, including the Trujillo massacre of 1990. The report on Trujillo is the first that MH has completed. For more information, please visit www.wilsoncenter.org. To RSVP, please reply to adam.stubits@wilsoncenter.org.

2. HUMAN RIGHTS WEEK: THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AT 60!
Tuesday, October 14-Friday, October 17, American University's Human Rights Council
Please join the American University Human Rights Council for several events this week which look at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 60th Anniversary, and discuss the next steps in implementing it. For more information on any of these events, please visit www.american.edu/humanrights/. To RSVP to any of the following events, please email KSLC@american.edu.

The Role of the Security Council
Wednesday, October 15, 12pm-1:30pm, American University Main Campus, Mary Graydon Hall, Butler Board Room
This event is part of the AU Human Rights Council's "Human Rights Week: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 60."Joanna Weschler, Director of Research, Security Council Report at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and Former United Nations Representative for Human Rights Watch, discusses the role of the Security Council in promoting the rights in the Universal Declaration with Ellen Dorsey, Director of the Wallace Global Fund and Former Chair of Amnesty International Board of Directors.

Good Samaritan Foreign Policy
Thursday, October 16, 12pm-1:30pm, American University Main Campus, School of International Service Lounge
This event is part of the AU Human Rights Council's "Human Rights Week: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 60," which looks at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 60th Anniversary, and discusses the next steps in implementing it. Human rights author and University of California, Irvine Professor Alison Brysk discusses the intersection of foreign policy and human rights.

Applying Human Rights in the United States
Friday, October 17, 12pm-1:30pm, American University Main Campus, Mary Graydon Hall Room 200
This event is part of the AU Human Rights Council's "Human Rights Week: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 60," which looks at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 60th Anniversary, and discusses the next steps in implementing it. Special guest and human rights attorney Andrea Ritchie discusses the application of human rights law in the United States.

3. PROGRESS AGAINST POVERTY WEEK 2008: ALIGNING WITH THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Tuesday, October 14-Friday, October 17, InterAction, 1400 16th St, NW, Suite 210
InterAction’s 2nd Annual Poverty Week observance, now known as Progress Against Poverty Week, will be a week dedicated to celebrating how far the international development and humanitarian community has advanced in the fight to end global poverty. A special event will honor former InterAction President Julia Taft, one of our community’s most dedicated and extraordinary leaders. Other events will focus on how to better align the community’s work with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), offering a critical mid-point analysis of progress made and a look to the future. For a full schedule of events, please go to http://www.interaction.org/ProgressAgainstPoverty/index.html. For questions, please write to ia@interaction.org.

4. ADVANCING CONSENSUS: 60 YEARS OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE
Thursday-Saturday, October 16-18, Emory Law School of Atlanta
Registration is now open for the Advancing the Consensus: 60 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Conference at Emory School of Law in Atlanta October 16th-18th. There will be two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates giving keynote speaches, over 35 panelists and workshop presenters from all over the U.S. and the world presenting about current human rights issues, and 400 conference attendees with whom to network! Please visit this site for more information: www.law.emory.edu/advancingtheconsensus Please visit this link to register: http://www.law.emory.edu/current-students/student-organizations/epic/conference/registration.html Everyone must register, even if you areable to attend the conference for free. This will help us make sure we have enough food and other materials for you. 

5. FREE ADVANCE SCREENING OF "THE END OF POVERTY?"
Sunday, October 19, 4pm, Regal Gallery Place Stadium 14, 701 17th Street NW
Please join us for the Washington screening of “The End of Poverty?”, a daring film that takes a hard look at world poverty and challenges capitalism and the American way. In a world of plenty, why are so many families around the world still living in abject poverty? This is the question at the heart of this thought-provoking documentary by filmmaker Philippe Diaz. The feature-length documentary - which won critical acclaim at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and is narrated by actor Martin Sheen - will be theatrically released in the U.S. in March 2009. It will be previewed in the Washington area as part of Stand Up Against Poverty, an international event to raise awareness about the plight of the poor. There will be time for discussion and questions after the film with Diaz and several poverty experts. Space is limited. Please RSVP to povertyfilmscreening@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.theendofpoverty.com or contact Richard Castro, rcastro@cinemalibrestudio.com.

6. HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: WHAT'S THE CONNECTION?
Tuesday, October 21, 12pm, American Bar Association, 740 15th Street, NW, 9th Floor
As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the ABA Commission on Domestic Violence hosts this event examining the connections between human trafficking and domestic violence. The event will feature Elizabeth Keyes, Supervising Attorney at WEAVE (Women Empowered Against Violence) and Jean Bruggeman, Director of the Community Legal Interpreter Bank at Ayuda. To register, please go to: http://www.abanet.org/domviol or http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=IuMBrsjtVHfd7V9wSVmLxQ_3d_3d.  After you register, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.  Please give our office 2 business days to process your registration form before contacting us about it.  If you have any difficulties or questions, please contact Deborah Whang at whangd@staff.abanet.org.  

7. SCIENCE SERVING HUMAN RIGHTS: MAKING IT HAPPEN
Thursday, October 23, 3pm-5:30pm, AAAS Auditorium, 1200 New York Avenue, NW
In advance of the January 2009 launch of the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition, SHRP, WSS, and CASPA invite you to the first event of the Coalition's "Service to the Human Rights Community" working group.The event will highlight the value of science and scientific expertise for human rights work by featuring three teams of scientists and human rights practitioners who have worked together on projects that yielded important outcomes and lessons. Join us for a conversation with a geographer, a forensic pathologist, a social scientist, and three human rights practitioners with whom they partnered. The teams will be interviewed about how they found each other, their experience of working together, their preconceptions, and what they accomplished together. This event is co-hosted by AAAS Science and Human Rights Program (SHRP), Washington Statistical Society (WSS) and Capital Area Social Psychological Association (CASPA). For more information, please contact shrp@aaas.org. To RSVP go to: http://shr.aaas.org/scisocs/events/Science_Serving_Human_Rights_Oct_23_2008.html.

Announcements & Professional Development Opportunities

1. HELP PEOPLE REGISTER TO VOTE! VOTER REGISTRATION VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT WCL AND IN THE COMMUNITY
Ayuda's Phone Bank Voter Outreach Project
Tuesday-Wednesday October 14-15, 5pm-8:30pm, Ayuda, 1707 Kalorama Rd. NW.  
Dinner and training begin at 5pm. We will be calling registered voters to remind them to get out and vote on November 4.  We will be there to answer questions they might have or direct them to someone who can answer their questions. Also, we'd like to go out to Virginia and do some door-to-door registration next week or the following week- date and time TBD. For mor information, email Judith Pilcher at jspichler@gmail.com or call her at (646) 456-6984.  **FYI: Spanish is not required**

The Lawyers' Committee on Civil Rights Seeks Dedicated Law Students to Help the with Election Protection in the next month and half! 
There are3 ways that you can get involved: 1) Staffing the Election Protection Hotline The Lawyers' Committee is running an Election Protection Hotline that needs volunteers to staff the hotline.  They need help from 9am-5pm on weekdays at their office near 14th Street and New York Ave. NW (near the Metro Center or McPherson metro stops).  You would be helping answer callers questions about how to register to vote, how to vote absentee, and questions about the recent purging of voter lists that's been going on (a lot of letters are being sent out that's resulting in voter intimidation).  Also, if any of you ever have voting-related questions, feel free to call them, or refer folks there: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (http://www.866ourvote.org/) 2) Organizing Maryland and Virginia Field Election Protection: The Lawyers' Committee has legal committees for both Maryland and Virginia, which are leading the planning and implementation of the field program for the state.  This involves participating in conference calls, discussing strategy, coordinating volunteer trainings, creating precinct maps, and much more.   If you're looking to get more involved, this is a great way to do it! 3) Volunteering on Election Day:  We will likely be going to Maryland and Virginia to work as mobile volunteers - answering questions, reporting to precincts that need back-up, answering voters' questions about their rights, etc.  If you have a car and are interested in volunteering on election day, please let me know if you're willing to drive.  There will be a mandatory training in early October that will probably take place at WCL - as soon as I hear from interested folks, we'll coordinate a date and time for the training. Please RSVP ASAP to Madhu Singh madhuri.s.singh@gmail.com or 260-437-2384.

CARECEN Seeks Volunteers for Voter Registration for Next Several Weeks!
We are now fast approaching the voter registration deadline for both DC and VA, so we need all the help we can get to make sure this year as many people as possible will exercise their right to vote. WE HAVE A HUGE NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION IN BOTH DC AND VA! If interested in doing voter registration in VA, please contact: Bessy Blanco by phone at (703) 370-3434 or by email: at bblanco@carecendc.org.

2. ROOTS & WINGS SEEKS COFFEE TABLE VOLUNTEERS FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16
WCL 3L and Roots & Wings International President Erik Swanson will be setting up a table this Thursday to sell Buywell Coffee for Roots & Wings Intl scholarships.  Please let himknow if you would like to donate an hour of your time to help Guatemalan students raise themselves and their communities out of extreme poverty.   100% of the coffee sales go directly to a university scholarship program which offers scholarships to students whose families' earn less than $2 per day. Learn about Roots & Wings at www.rootsandwingsintl.org. The table will be set up from 9am to 5pm.  Please let Erik know if you are interested in volunteering and if so at what time at erikwswanson@yahoo.com.

3. PROF. BRENDA SMITH AND THE NIC PROJECT ON ADDRESSING PRISON RAPE SEEKS DEAN'S FELLOWS
Dean’s Fellows will work 10-20 hours a week, and will provide research and assistance with projects on legal issues related to sexual abuse in correctional facilities and implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Excellent work ethic, and research and writing skills a must. Office hours required. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, transcript and writing sample to bvsmith@wcl.american.edu and jyarussi@wcl.american.edu.

4. THE CLINICAL PROGRAM (INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CLINIC) SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION, CASE INVESTIGATION AND SIMULATIONS.
The International Human Rights Law Clinic and other clinics in the Clinical Program seek student volunteers who are fluent (nearly bilingual, not just “conversational”) in another language for interpretation and translation work on clinic cases.  There are also volunteer opportunities clinic-wide to work as simulation volunteers (play the role of “clients” or “witnesses” in simulations) or case investigators (examples of case investigation tasks may include gathering documents, attending witness interviews, and visiting places and institutions relevant to the issues in a particular case).  Please see Maribel Yamat in the Clinic in Room 417 or email her at myamat@wcl.american.edu to complete a volunteer form.  The student attorneys in the clinic will contact you after you submit your volunteer form as needed.  Pro bono pledge credit is available for each type of volunteer activity.

5. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER SEEKS APPLICANTS FOR THE WOMEN’S LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The application deadline for WLPPFP, which is for lawyers from the United States, is Friday,October 31. Thank you very much for helping us reach out to outstanding lawyers from the United States and Africa who are committed to advancing women's human rights and social justice. Please see www.law.georgetown.edu/wlppfp for more information.

6. SUMMER LAW PROGRAM IN THE HAGUE
June 2009
Informational Session Date TBA
Now in its third year, the Summer Law Program in The Hague is a six-credit program offered in collaboration with the T.M.C. Asser Institute, one of the most prominent institutes of international law in Europe. The program offered two three-credit courses: International Criminal Law and International Legal Approaches to Terrorism. During the 2008 session, program participants received course lectures from nearly thirty practitioners and other experts, including judges, prosecutors and other staff from legal organizations located in The Hague. Participants also visited the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Court of Justice and other institutions critical to the development and enforcement of these areas of international law. The 2009 program will be open to J.D. students who have completed one year of legal education, LL.M. students and graduates of ABA-accredited law schools. Stay tuned for information about applications and an in-depth information session, which will be offered this fall. In the meantime, past program information can be found on our website at www.wcl.american.edu/hague/; interested students are encouraged to email hague@wcl.american.edu and request to be added to the listserv.

7. HUMAN RIGHTS ESSAY AWARD! CALL FOR PAPERS
2009 Topic in English: 60 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: its contemporary normative impact
2009 Topic in Spanish: 60 anos de la Declaracion Americana de los Derechos y Deberes del Hombre: su impacto normativo actual
About the Award: This annual competition seeks to stimulate the production of scholarly work in international human rights law. Participants may choose any subject related to the assigned topic. The best articles may be published in the American University International Law Review. The Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law grants two awards, one for the best article in English and one for the best article in Spanish. Each award consists of a scholarship to the 2009 Specialized Human Rights Program, travel expenses, housing at the university dorms, and a per diem for living expenses.*

Eligibility and Requirements

• Candidates must hold a law degree.
• Submissions must be unpublished legal papers in English or Spanish, written solely by the candidate.
• Articles must not exceed 35 pages, including footnotes, and must be double-spaced using 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Articles must be submitted via e-mail to hracademy@wcl.american.edu in Microsoft Word format.
• The deadline to submit articles is February 3, 2009, by 10 a.m. (EST).
• Winners will be announced April 1, 2009, on our Web site.
• A comprehensive list of rules is available at: www.wcl.american.edu/hracademy/hraward.cfm.

8. PARTICIPATE IN NEW PRO BONO INITIATIVE!
WCL’s clinics are currently featured on www.internationalprobono.com.  This new website, developed by the International Bar Association and its Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee, is intended to serve as a forum and resource for individuals and groups world-wide who are interested in pro bono legal work and broader matters of access to justice.  As its Welcome emphasizes, the site is designed to encourage submissions of material by and development of dialog among users.  Interested users can register on its Roster.  If you have any questions or comments, please contact Robin Westbrook (rwestbro@wcl.american.edu), Practitioner in Residence in the Janet Spragens Tax Clinic, who serves on the IBA’s Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee.

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