ND Law's Global Human Rights Clinic advocates for clients at the United Nations Headquarters and advances key partnerships in New York City | News | The Law School

Eleven smiling students in business attire with badges stand in the United Nations General Assembly Hall. The background features tiered rows of light brown seating and the distinct UN emblem on the back wall. — *Notre Dame Law School's Global Human Rights Clinic staff, doctoral interns, and J.D. students at the UN General Assembly*

Notre Dame Law School's Global Human Rights Clinic, directed by Professor Diane Desierto, conducted strategic meetings in New York City to advocate for clients facing human rights violations in Ukraine, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. A delegation composed by Josemaría Rodríguez, legal fellow; Faisal Yamil, research associate; Nicolás Buitrago-Rey and Portia Chigbu, J.S.D. students and doctoral interns; J.D. students; and Oksana Ivantsiv, Master of Global Affairs intern, went to the offices of King & Spalding, the Permanent Missions of Canada, Germany, and the Holy See before the United Nations, as well as attended an event at the UN Women Office, and met with the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua Office and the Special Coordinator on Improving the UN Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

The Global Human Rights Clinic delegation met with the UN officers from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, and the Permanent Missions of Canada and the Holy See before the UN to advocate for clients of the Clinic and advance on research partnerships with OHCHR and the Clinic’s legal assistance to the Holy See.

Six smiling individuals, including a priest in black clerical attire, pose in an office. Behind them is a portrait of Pope Francis and two flags. — *ND Law's Global Human Rights Clinic delegation with the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations*

3L Victoria Foley stated, “This trip gave me the opportunity to meet in person with the people the Clinic is working with, making sure that we’re doing face-to-face work and not only behind screens. Keeping the client in mind as we do our work is the most important thing to ensure that we’re making the best contributions we can. Going on this trip also showed me what other Notre Dame Law alumni are doing as well, such as working for the UN and working in business and human rights issues.”

The delegation also attended the event “Financing the WPS Agenda in the Age of Rising Military Expenditure” at the UN Women's Offices. Staff and students were able to engage with UN Women officials on the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda and advocate for women victims of sexual violence in Ukraine.

Nicolás Buitrago-Rey, J.S.D. candidate and doctoral intern of the Global Human Rights Clinic stated, “We engaged directly with UN officials and advocated for the concerns of clients of the Global Human Rights Clinic, especially concerns regarding reparations for victims of gender-based violence in international and non-international armed conflicts, which are of particular interest for our cases related to Ukraine and our judicial assistance to the Colombian Special Jurisdiction for Peace.”

Likewise, the delegation met with Professor Emeritus Douglas Cassel, the former director of the Notre Dame Law School Human Rights LL.M. Program and a current partner at King & Spalding, where students had the opportunity to hear about business and human rights work in Big Law and crucial pro bono cases.

Twelve individuals, smiling, stand together in a modern office hallway. Most wear professional dark suits, dresses, or blazers. One man wears a tan trench coat and plaid scarf, another an older man in a light plaid shirt and tan pants. A red exit sign glows overhead. — *Notre Dame Law School's Global Human Rights Clinic staff, doctoral interns, and J.D. students at King & Spalding*

2L Jordan Phillips said, “The clients we serve in the Global Human Rights Clinic are just one of many facing similar human rights violations around the world, and while we are fighting for them as individuals, we are also striving to prevent the same violations from happening to others. During our trip to New York, it was encouraging to see embassy officials, nonprofit organizations, UN experts, and our UN partners all striving towards the same goal. This experience showed me there are willing partners in many of these organizations, and I look forward to continuing to work with them.”

Oksana Ivantsiv, an intern of the Global Human Rights Clinic, presented her work at the event “Investing Dignity: How Prompt Reparations for CRSV Survivors Avert Intergenerational Societal Harm" at the Permanent Mission of Germany before the UN. She presented a teaser of her film “Women Occupied," which delves into the experiences of women survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine, Kosovo, and Germany.

A woman speaks into a microphone from behind a laptop, facing an audience. Behind her are the light blue UN flag, the black, red, and gold German flag, and the dark blue EU flag with yellow stars. — Clinic intern Oksana Ivantsiv presenting the documentary “Women Occupied” about CRSV at the event “Investing Dignity: How Prompt Reparations for CRSV Survivors Avert Intergenerational Societal Harm"

Ivantsiv stated, “Besides being an Master of Global Affairs intern at the Notre Dame Law School Global Human Rights Clinic, I have been working for more than three years as a producer on the documentary 'Women Occupied.' The side event was crucial for UN Women as a platform to amplify survivors’ voices, discuss the ramifications of CRSV that are often understated and overlooked in transitional justice, and explore how these issues can be addressed through reparations.

"I plan to continue my research on reparations for CRSV survivors and on the legal support we provide to survivors at the Notre Dame Law School Global Human Rights Clinic. This event brought together my expertise as both a film producer and a human rights lawyer, marking the first in a series of advocacy initiatives we are developing with the 'Women Occupied' team. I am deeply grateful to my Clinic colleagues who made their way to New York to support this event, and for the opportunity to deepen my expertise as a human rights lawyer at the Clinic to strengthen my advocacy work.”

Finally, the Clinic delegation, in collaboration with J.S.D. candidate Anivesh Bharadwaj, met with the Head of the Office of the Special Coordinator on Improving the UN Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse to engage in questions about policy design on the prevention of sexual violence within the UN.

J.S.D. candidate Portia Chigbu stated, “Notre Dame Law School's Global Human Rights Clinic has offered us students a unique opportunity to engage in practical human rights work and advocacy before Permanent Missions to the UN, UN officials, and NGOs in New York City. The Clinic has fostered a space to put into practice human rights litigation, research, and advocacy.”