academy on human r ights and human itar ian law
PROGRAM OF ADVANCED STUDIESon human r ights and
human i tar i an law
MAY 30 – JUNE 16, 2017
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Dear Colleagues,
It is a pleasure to invite you to the 17th Annual Program of
Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.
This opportunity features a community of expert faculty,
supportive administrators, engaged alumni leaders, and our
wonderful student body, all of which combine to create an
exceptional learning environment.
American University Washington College of Law is well-situated for the future of
legal education, and will continue to provide high-impact educational experiences for
our students. Our new Tenley Campus is an unparalleled site for 21st century legal
education - it is the ideal home for our talented students, faculty, and administrators.
Our community will continue to connect with all that Washington, D.C. has to offer
whilst simultaneously enhancing our affiliations beyond the region, in order to provide
students and alumni with the experiential opportunities, networks, and the resources
they need in a competitive legal market.
Especially at this moment, and in Washington D.C., it is an exciting and historic time
to be a part of this tremendous community!
Sincerely,
Camille A. Nelson
Dean and Professor of Law
ADVISORY BOARD Dean Emeritus Claudio Grossman, Co-Chair
Robert K. Goldman, Co-Chair
Víctor Abramovich
Gudmundur Alfredsson
Philip Alston
José Álvarez
Elizabeth Andersen
M. Cherif Bassiouni
Thomas Buergenthal
Antônio Cançado Trindade
Rebecca Cook
Asbjørn Eide
Felipe González
Christoffel Heyns
Ernesto de la Jara
Sarah Joseph
Margarette May Macaulay
Fernando Mariño Menéndez
Elisa Massimino
Juan Méndez
Manfred Nowak
Sir Nigel Rodley
Leonardus Zwaak
MESSAGE FROM THE CO-CHAIRS AND CO-DIRECTORSWe are pleased to present the Program of Advanced Studies of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Washington, D.C. The Program, approved by the American Bar Association, offers several courses in English and in Spanish, which can be taken for academic credit, a certificate of attendance, or a diploma.
The Program convenes an impressive group of human rights activists and professionals to teach at AUWCL, offering an innovative and diverse curriculum tailored to meet the needs of professionals specializing in human rights.
Concurrent with the program, the Academy sponsors Human Rights Month, which offers academic opportunities through conferences, panels, and films. Additionally, there are events planned exclusively for participants, which include workshops, site visits to international organizations, a welcome and closing reception, and a tour of the national monuments.
We hope to welcome you as a participant in our Program of Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.
Sincerely,
Claudio Grossman Robert K. Goldman Claudia Martin Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón
Co-Chair Co-Chair Co-Director Co-Director
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTSIn order to apply, candidates must meet one of the following criteria:
• Currently enrolled in a law degree program at a U.S. law school or a foreign law school, and have completed their first year*
• Hold a law degree either from a U.S. law school or from a foreign law school*
• Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a field related to human rights
* If from a U.S. law school, the university must be accredited by the American Bar Association. If outside of the U.S., the university must have equivalent standards.
ENROLLMENT STATUSParticipants may enroll under one of the following three categories:
• Certificate of Attendance
• ABA Credit (Only available to those currently enrolled in a U.S. law school)
• Diploma (Only available to those who hold a law degree)
All Diploma and ABA Credit students will be issued a certificate of attendance. However, those
who successfully complete three or more exams will be awarded a plaque certifying completion
of the Program and their respective courses.
The diploma is the highest certificate granted by the Academy and the most academically
challenging. Participants pursuing the diploma must take a minimum of 3 classes and can enroll
in a fourth at no additional cost. The diploma class is limited to 35 persons each year.
APPLICATION PROCESS**
To apply, prospective students must submit the following at
www.wcl.american.edu/hracademy/app.cfm.
Only complete applications are considered.
• Online Application
• Online Application Fee
• Résumé (3 pages maximum)
• 1 page Statement of Interest
Students participating for ABA Credit must submit these additional documents:
• A letter of good standing and permission to study from your current university
• Visiting Student Application
**Current AUWCL students do not need to apply.
EXAMSAll exams are administered online, thus participants do not need to be in Washington, D.C. to
complete them. The exam period begins the day after the Program ends and continues for 4 weeks.
Each exam has a time limit of 48 hours. Grades will be released in late-August. Exams are only
required in the following categories:
• ABA Credit
• Diploma
• Participants working towards the Certificate of Attendance who wish to transfer credit to their home institutions
Note: Participants interested in pursuing an LL.M. degree at American University Washington College of Law have the option of applying 4 credits from the Program towards their degree requirements IF exams are completed.
2017 COURSES Advanced International Humanitarian Law (2 credits)
Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (2 credits)
Human Rights and Development (2 credits)
International Humanitarian Law (2 credits)
International Justice for Human Rights Violations (2 credits)
Regional Systems: European and African Human Rights Law (2 credits)
The Rights of Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Groups (2 credits)
United Nations Human Rights System (2 credits)
Women & International Human Rights Law (2 credits)
Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales (2 credits)
Derechos Humanos y Cortes Internacionales (2 credits)
Derechos Humanos y su Relación con el Derecho Ambiental y el Desarrollo (2 credits)
Derecho Internacional Humanitario (2 credits)
Implementación de los Derechos Humanos en Derecho Interno (2 credits)
Impunidad y Justicia Internacional (2 credits)
Libertad de Expresión (2 credits)
Litigio y Activismo en Derechos Humanos (2 credits)
Mujeres y el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos (2 credits)
Sistema de Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas (2 credits)
Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos (2 credits)
2017 FACULTY INCLUDE: Elizabeth Abi-Mershed, Assistant Executive Secretary, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C.
Victor Abramovich, Deputy Solicitor General, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Paulo Abrão, Executive Secretary, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C.
Jorge Araya, Secretary, Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
Carlos Ayala, Member, Executive Committee, International Commission of Jurists
Tracey Begley, Public Affairs Officer, International Committee of the Red Cross, Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada, Washington, D.C.
Catalina Botero, Former Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS)
Laurence Burgorgue-Larson, Judge, Constitutional Court of Andorra and Professor, Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, Paris, France
Aldo Caliari, Director, Rethinking Bretton Woods Project, The Center of Concern, Washington, D.C.
Antônio Cançado Trindade, Judge, International Court of Justice, United Nations, The Hague, The Netherlands
Santiago Cantón, Secretary of Human Rights, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina
John Cerone, Visiting Professor of International Law, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, MA
Rebecca Cook, Co-Director, International Program on Reproductive and Sexual Health Law, University of Toronto, Canada
David Crane, Professor of Practice, Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY
MacAlister Darrow, Representative, Washington DC Liaison Office, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Washington, D.C.
Helen Duffy, Founder, Human Rights in Practice, The Hague, The Netherlands
Bernard Duhaime, Vice-Chair, The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, United Nations
Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor Poisot, Judge, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS), San José, Costa Rica
Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, President, International Criminal Court, The Hague, The Netherlands
Felipe Gómez Isa, Professor of Public International Law, Pedro Arrupe Institute of Human Rights, University of Deusto (Bilbao), Spain
Felipe González, Former Chair, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C.
Claudio Grossman, Dean Emeritus, American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.
Christopher Harland, Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada, Washington, D.C.
Christoffel Heyns, Member, Human Rights Committee, United Nations
Viviana Krsticevic, Executive Director, Center for Justice and International Law, Washington, D.C.
Edison Lanza, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C.
Julissa Mantilla, International Special Adviser on Transitional Justice from a Gender Perspective, UN Women, Peru
Siobhan McInerney-Lankford, Senior Counsel, The World Bank, Washington, D.C.
Juan Méndez, Former Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, United Nations and Professor, American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.
Jens Modvig, Member, Committee Against Torture, United Nations
Jarna Petman, Deputy Director and Senior Lecturer, Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki, Finland
Ted Piccone, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Project on International Order and Strategy, Latin America Initiative, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.
Flavia Piovesan, Professor, Faculty of Law, Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil
Fausto Pocar, Judge, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, United Nations, The Hague, The Netherlands
Mónica Roa, Consultant, Bogotá, Colombia
Eric Rosenthal, Founder and Executive Director, Disability Rights International, Washington, D.C.
Pablo Saavedra, Secretary, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS), San José, Costa Rica
Macarena Saez, Director, Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.
Alejandro Valencia Villa, Consultant, Human Rights and Transitional Justice, Colombia
José Miguel Vivanco, Executive Director, Americas Division, Human Rights Watch, Washington, D.C.
Jamie Williamson, Head of Unit, Relations with Arms Carriers, International Committee for the Red Cross, Geneva, Switzerland
Jessica Wyndham, Associate Program Director, Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C.
Leonardus Zwaak, Retired Associate Professor, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
from left to right: Antônio Cançado Trindade, Rebecca Cook, Fausto Pocar, Siobhan McInerney-Lankford, Julissa Mantilla, Leonardus Zwaak, Laurence Burgorgue-Larsen
For the most up to date list of courses and instructors please visit wcl.american.edu/hracademy/faculty.cfm.
OTHER ACADEMY PROGRAMS
LL.M. In International Human Rightsand Humanitarian LawThis unique program, with online and residential course
components, is designed for practitioners and other human
rights advocates who wish to pursue advanced studies in
international human rights and humanitarian law alongside
their existing work responsibilities. Interested persons can
pursue the LL.M. in English or Spanish. Proof of language
proficiency may be required.
wcl.american.edu/champion/humanrightsllm
The Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court CompetitionThe only trilingual – English, Portuguese, and Spanish –
competition established to train law students on how to use the
Inter-American human rights legal system as a legitimate forum
for redressing human rights violations. The Competition has
trained over 2,500 students and faculty participants from more
than 252 universities in more than 35 countries.
wcl.american.edu/hracademy/mcourt
The Human Rights Essay AwardAn annual writing competition that encourages lawyers to
produce scholarly work in International Human Rights Law.
The Academy grants two awards, one for the best article in
English and one for the best article in Spanish. Winners receive
a scholarship to attend the Program of Advanced Studies on
Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, and their articles are
eligible to be published in the American University International
Law Review. The annual deadline is February 1, and the
competition is open only to those who have a law degree.
wcl.american.edu/hracademy/hraward.cfm
Human Rights MonthThis annual event features conferences, workshops, and a film
festival. During Human Rights Month, the Academy provides
a forum for education and discussion of human rights theory.
Participants have the opportunity to share firsthand experiences,
as well as network with fellow practitioners, scholars, and
activists in the field. All panels are open to the public.
wcl.american.edu/hracademy/hrmonth.cfm
Washington College of Law4300 Nebraska Ave, NWSuite Y111Washington, D.C. 20016-2132
CONTACT US For more information, please visit our website or contact us via email or phone:
wcl.american.edu/hracademy | [email protected]
Phone: 202-274-4070 | Fax: 202-274-4198
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