Happy Monday! Five weeks have passed since the beginning of the semester, which means midterms are right around the corner! Although we have no doubt that you've got this, remember that you are always welcome to swing by the office for any extra support or pep talks. Additionally, some items to mention -
Mark your calendar for April 20th for our human rights flagship event - we'll share more info as the semester progresses!
For second-year students - if you need an OPT, now it is the time to apply for it!
Check the following events and opportunities below!
The IO/UNS Specialization is proud to announce that registration is open for our inaugural United Nations Roundtable Conversations and Networking event! This exclusive event will have over a dozen UN staff members in attendance, and give students the opportunity to speak with them in intimate small group discussions about their work and experiences.
Unlike other networking events, this roundtable conversation format will ensure students have significant face time with UN officials, opening the door for meaningful relationship building. Five to six students will share a table with one or two UN staff members to discuss their work links to students' interests. Students will spend 30min each at three tables to enable them to have a range of conversations. Following the roundtable talks, attendees will have a chance to extend these conversations over drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the 15th floor lobby at our cocktail reception.
Please join HRHP, HAWT, HRWG, and the Office of Career Services in welcoming Simon Fuchs, who will be facilitating a Professional Development Workshop on Monitoring and Evaluation for human rights and humanitarian practictioners.
Simon Fuchs is the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Advisor for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) technical unit. He leads IRC’s initiatives to develop agency-wide indicators for IRC’s economic wellbeing outcomes, M&E planning tools and methodologies, data collection and management systems, data analysis, indicator reporting and data use/interpretation for cash assistance, food security and livelihoods programs in the Middle East, West Africa, and East Africa regions. His specialization includes integration of mobile data collection platforms and other technology tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness of project-level M&E systems. Prior to joining IRC, Simon worked on development of IT systems for M&E at software firm Synergy International Systems, and served as Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Fellow / Economist at the Nigeria National Planning Commission (NPC), where he was closely involved in the rollout the M&E system for Nigeria’s Vision 2020 national development strategy. Simon has an MSc in Economics from the University of Warwick, and speaks English, Spanish, some French and a bit of Nigerian pidgin slang.
Environmental lawyer Jim Olson, Founder and President of the Traverse City-based FLOW (For Love of Water), argued and won the case Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation v Nestlé Waters North America Inc. This case curbed the mining and pumping of local spring waters for bottled-water usage. He is joined in conversation with medical anthropologist Nadia Gaber, a member of We The People of Detroit Community Research Collective, and an advocate for access to clean water as a human right. Moderated by Catherine Fennell, Department of Anthropology.
Co-presented by Columbia School of Social Work; Department of Anthropology; Mailman School of Public Health; Sabin Center for Climate Change Law; and the School of the Arts.
Friday, March 6, 3:00PM - 5:00 PM Mapping with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Initiative (HOT OSM)
Join Butler Studio's new community project centered on collaborative mapping for humanitarian aid.
Using data from the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap US Tasking Manager, we will edit high-priority maps to address local development challenges and aid disaster response.
No experience with geo-referencing required
Monday, March 30 A talk by Radhika Coomaraswamy “The Dilemmas of UN Fact Finding in a Post-Colonial World – Case Study of the Rohingya Crisis”
Radhika Coomaraswamy is the South Asia Institute Distinguished Visitor in 2019-2020, and in residence from March 23-31. She is a Sri Lankan lawyer, diplomat, and human rights advocate. She was the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict from April 2006 until 13 July 2012, serving as a moral voice and independent advocate to build awareness and give prominence to the rights and protection of boys and girls affected by armed conflict. In 2017, after atrocities against the Rohingya people, she was appointed a Member of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar.
Ms. Coomaraswamy, a lawyer by training and formerly the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission, is an internationally known human rights advocate who has been widely recognized for her work as Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women (1994-2003). In her reports to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, she has written on violence in the family, violence in the community, violence against women during armed conflict, and the problem of international trafficking. A strong advocate of women’s rights, she has intervened on behalf of countless women throughout the world seeking redress from governments in cases involving violence against women.
In addition to chairing the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission, Ms. Coomaraswamy was also a director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies in Sri Lanka, leading research projects in the field of ethnicity, women and human rights. She has served as a member of the Global Faculty of the New York University School of Law. She has published widely, including two books on constitutional law and numerous articles on ethnic studies and the status of women.
Ms. Coomaraswamy has won many awards. These include the International Law Award of the American Bar Association, the Human Rights Award of the International Human Rights Law Group, the Bruno Kreisky Award of 2000, the Leo Ettinger Human Rights Prize of the University of Oslo, Cesar Romero Award of the University of Dayton, the William J. Butler Award from the University of Cincinnati, and the Robert S. Litvack Award from McGill University. In 2005, the Government of Sri Lanka honored her with the title of Deshamanya, the second-highest national civilian honor of Sri Lanka awarded for "highly meritorious service."
Ms. Coomaraswamy is a graduate of the United Nations International School in New York. She received her B.A. from Yale University, her J.D. from Columbia University, an LLM from Harvard University and honorary PhDs from Amherst College, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Essex and the University of Leuven.
Note: students who are interested in joining a luncheon for students with Ms. Coomaraswamy, or arranging a meeting during her office hours while she is in residence, may contact Annapurna Potluri at <ap24@columbia.edu>.
Internships and Opportunities
Internship: The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)
Location: Accra, Ghana
Application Deadline:Apply by February 29, 2020
Title of position: Legal Advocacy Officer
CHRI cannot provide funding, applicants need to find their own.
The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) is an international, independent, non-partisan and non-profit making organisation mandated to ensure the practical realisation of human rights in countries of the Commonwealth.
CHRI Africa Office spearheaded the advocacy on the 44 Ghanaians killed in The Gambia by the security forces on orders of Yahya Jammeh in 2005 and is currently supporting two sons of the victims who are still seeking justice.
The Legal Advocacy Officer would also work in close collaboration with the African Network against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearance (ANEKED), an NGO campaigning against summary executions and forced disappearances; advocating for justice for victims and their families.
Roles and responsibilities:
The Legal Advocacy Officer will design and implement a legal advocacy strategy, together with the focal person at CHRI Africa Office, aimed at assisting the sons of the victims of the 44 Ghanaians to seek justice.
Legal Advocacy Officer will:
Coordinate, under CHRI’s supervision, the implementation of CHRI’s assistance to the two victims of the Ghana 44:
-Application for information concerning the case from relevant institutions
-Follow-ups on leads
-Documentation of evidence
Provide technical assistance to the two victims by carrying out briefings and organising meetings with relevant stakeholders in Ghana including government officials
Review Ghana law on access to information and explore possible legal recourses on behalf of the two victims
Assists in the identification of relevant advocacy and strategies directions for the case in Ghana
Internship: Business & Human Rights Program at Verizon Media
The Business & Human Rights Internship allows the intern to contribute to operational work on human rights issues within a technology and media company while also helping to influence the global dialogue on these issues. The intern will be responsible for helping to develop and drive the BHRP’s strategy internally and externally to protect and promote human rights, including rights to free expression and privacy. The intern will work directly with the head of the Business & Human Rights Program and with other members of the BHRP team. The intern will also work with a cross-functional team of senior-level employees (including from the legal, public policy, security, communications, privacy, deals, and product teams) to build and support key components of the Program.
Find more information here.
The Commission on Human Rights (the Commission) is the agency charged with enforcing the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) – one of the most expansive civil rights laws in the nation. Through its Law Enforcement Bureau (LEB), the Commission accepts claims filed by the public, and has the power to initiate its own investigations to affirmatively root out discrimination, harassment, retaliation and other violations of the NYCHRL.
The Commission’s Office of the Chairperson (OC) is responsible for directing the management of the agency; convening the members of the Commission (also referred to as “Commissioners”); setting the general policy direction for the agency; addressing intergovernmental affairs; engaging with other City agencies on human rights-related issues; responding to inquiries from the public regarding the Commission’s work; developing, reviewing, and negotiating legislation; promulgating legal enforcement guidance and rules; drafting and submitting comments to state and federal agencies during their rulemaking processes; and identifying new opportunities to advance the Commission’s mission. The OC also has a significant adjudicatory role to play in the law enforcement process, including issuing Decisions and Orders in cases filed at the Law Enforcement Bureau.
The Commission on Human Rights is seeking a full-time Policy and Program Specialist to support the agency’s work with community partners and other City agencies and its efforts in support of multiple Citywide initiatives. The Policy and Program Specialist will report to the Deputy Commissioner for Strategic Initiatives and will work closely with other staff in the OC, including the Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs and the Chief of Staff.
Vacancy: The Center for Economic and Social Rights
Application Deadline:Monday, 2 March 2020 (EST)
Title of position: Financial Administrator
The Center for Economic and Social Rights is seeking an experienced professional for part-time work with the management team to ensure the financial health of the organization as well as the effectiveness of its administrative operations.
Under the supervision of the Operations Manager, the Financial Administrator oversees the implementation of financial policies and procedures in accordance with compliance standards. The person in this role also ensures the effectiveness of CESR's administrative operations, making sure policies and procedures are followed and compliance standards are met. The Financial Administrator will be required to work two full workdays per week (approximately 16 hours).
Applications should be received no later than midday EST on Monday, 2 March 2020.Find here more details.
Contact us!
Professor Elazar Bakan, Director of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy Concentration, Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights
