Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

International Observation Mission (MIO)

On November 16th, Professor Claudia Martin was part of the International Observation Mission created by the Foundation for Due Process to monitor the selection process of judges for the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) in Honduras.  Read more.

LL.M STUDENTS SHARE THOUGHTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, FEDERICO VILLEGAS AT WCL  

On October 27, 2022, the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law had the pleasure to host Ambassador Federico Villegas, President of the United Nations Human Rights Council in the Conference “The Human Rights Council in the Current Geopolitical Context: Challenges and Opportunities”.  Watch the video here.

Publication Report in Spanish: Documenting Good Practice on Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Guatemala: the Sepur Zarco Case

Prof. Claudia Martin, Co-Director of the Academy; Prof. Susana SaCouto, Director of the War Crimes Research Office; and Alysson Ford, Former Assistant Director of the War Crimes Research Office, authored the report in Spanish in collaboration with UN Women. Read the report here. 

panel: Women in Human Mobility and Gender Violence: Cases and Comparative Experiences in the Region

On November 29th, and on the occasion of the 16 days of Activism Against Gender Violence, the Academy of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law presented the Panel "Women in Human Mobility and Gender Violence: Cases and Comparative Experiences in the Region." Watch the video here.

panel: Access to Abortion Under International Human Rights Standards: Experiences from Latin America

On December 7th, the Academy of Human Rights presented the virtual panel in collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, @OHCHR the Latin American Network of Strategic Latinos in Gender, @Releg the Department of Constitutional Law of the University of Externado de Colombia @UExternado, and the AUWCL War Crimes Investigation Office, entitled "Access to Abortion Under International Human Rights Standards: Experiences from Latin America." Watch the video here

panel: Jineth Bedoya`s Case: "Reflections on Press Freedom in Colombia and the Pursuit of Justice Over the Last Decades

On December 8th, the Academy of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the Center for Justice and International Law Co-sponsored an event entitled Jineth Bedoya`s Case: "Reflections on Press Freedom in Colombia and the Pursuit of Justice Over the Last Decades".Watch the video here.

HRHL LLM In-residence Students

Our residential LL.M. Cohort represents students from Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Antigua and Barbuda, Venezuela 
Ghana, Italy, and Saudi Arabia, among others. This creates a multicultural and rich environment to exchange ideas and approaches to the current challenges in the field of human rights around the globe. 

Learn more about the LL.M. Program.

Claudia Martin, Academy Co-director

This year Professor Claudia Martin actively participated in preparing the report, documentation of good practices on accountability for conflict-related sexual violence: the Sepur Zarco Case in Guatemala, together with Professor Susana SáCouto, Director of the International Crimes Office and Alysson Ford, former Assistant Director of the International Crimes Office, all institutions of the American University Washington College of Law, in collaboration with UN Women. 

In addition, within the framework of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, she was moderating the panels "Women in human mobility and gender violence: cases and comparative experiences in the region", the panel "Access to abortion under the standards International Human Rights: Latin American Experiences” and the Jineth Bedoya Case: “Reflections on Press Freedom in Colombia and the Pursuit of Justice Over the Last Decades”.

Diego Rodriguez-Pinzon, Academy Co-director

As co-director of the academy, Professor Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón participated as a speaker in the conference "Judicial truth - Extrajudicial elements for the construction of peace", which took place on August 16, 2022. The panel was also integrated by Father Francisco de Roux, President of the Colombian Truth Commission, and Dr. Diego Tarapués, Auxiliary Magistrate of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace of Colombia. The event brought together authorities from several cities in Colombia, as well as various universities in that country, and social and victim organizations. Watch the video here. 

He also participated in the Global Forum on Human Rights Education 2022 organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the Friederich Ebert Foundation (FES), and the National Center for Human Rights, of the Republic of Uzbekistan from December 5 to 6, 2022. Together with dignitaries such as Shavkat Mirziyoev, President of Uzbekistan; Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN; Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; and Federico Villegas, President of the Human Rights Council.

2023 Summer Human RIGHTS pROGRAM - May 29TH to June 16TH, 2023

Announcing the 24th Program of Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law IN-PERSON!

"We are excited to welcome many of you to the program next summer 2023! This intensive three-week program offers a broad spectrum of classes taught by more than 40 world-renowned faculty members."

-- The Academy Team

Registration opens on January 1. Learn more here.

2023 iNTER-aMERICAN mOOT cOURT cOMPETITION - May 21st to May 26th, 2023

Announcing the 28th Annual Moot Court Competition IN-PERSON! We are excited to welcome a select number of Teams, Judges, Observers, and Bailiffs from around the world to discuss a cutting-edge topic currently being debated within the Inter-American Human Rights Legal System. 

The 2023 Hypothetical Case ¨Equality and Human Rights: Confronting Racial Discrimination.¨ has been published!

Registration for all the roles in the Competition is now open! Learn more here. 

2023 hUMAN rights Essay Award - Submissions due January 31st

This writing competition seeks to stimulate the production of scholarly work in international human rights law. The topic of the 2023 Award is “Equality and Human Rights: Confronting Racial Discrimination.” Participants have the flexibility to choose any subject related to this topic. This competition is open to lawyers around the world. (Only participants with a law degree are eligible). We look forward to receiving your online submissions!

Advanced Human RIGHTS 

The LL.M. in International Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in its hybrid and online modality opens spaces for students to share their experiences, knowledge, and passion for human rights and enhance their learning process. Advanced Human Rights is taught by Professorial Lecturer in-residence, Claudia Martin.

"I am most grateful for the ways in which this course challenged me. Even though the analysis of serious transgressions of inalienable rights, I feel empowered and better suited to continue the pursuit of accountability through litigation and advocacy. I am appreciative of Professor Martin for providing and fostering a space for analytical and reflective thinking, and for presenting the realities and challenges in international human rights and humanitarian law while still infusing a strong sense of hope throughout the lectures. Thank you, Professor Martin, classmates, and Veronica for an amazing semester! Go AUWCL human rights defenders!"

ESTUDIOS AVANZADOS EN dd.hh (Advanced Human Rights Course)

The LL.M. in International Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law is also offered fully in Spanish. This opens doors for multilingual lawyers looking to receive formal training with top human rights experts in their native language. This Course is taught by Adjunct Professor, Mikel Mancisidor.

"My experience at WCL has been invaluable and incomparable, it is the center for comprehensive training in Human Rights, which combines high-level academic experiences due to excellent faculty, with the exchange of personal experiences of various realities in the Americas that arise through interaction with colleagues from various countries enriching the in-class debates, live class sessions, and forum discussions."

Proteccion INT'L DE LOS GRUPOS VULNERABLES (INT'L PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE GROUPS)

The LL.M. in International Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law also offers courses in specific trending human rights topics. This course uncovers relevant issues and violations faced by the most vulnerable populations. It also presents practical approaches as tools that can be used in defending the rights of these populations. The course is taught by Adjunct Professor, Jorge Araya.

"My gratitude and appreciation to Professor Jorge Araya as he was able to instill from the beginning a cooperative environment. He sees us as peers and as fellow professionals. He always gives us the floor to discuss, analyze, propose and develop knowledge with practical cases, impressing upon us the necessary tools to understand the human rights of vulnerable groups".