Join us in celebrating 20 years of the International Human Rights Clinic’s (IHRC) transformative work in advancing human rights globally. For two decades, we’ve been at the forefront of education and advocacy, driving tangible change and shaping the next generation of human rights champions. In the 2024-2025 academic year, we will host a series of anniversary events, share alumni insights, and celebrate our community.
Alumni Insights
As part of our ongoing celebration, we’ve asked our alumni community to share their reflections on their time in the IHRC, offer advice to current students, and lend their perspectives on what are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the human rights movement today.
We’ll be highlighting these comments as part of an “Alumni Insights” series. Follow along on LinkedIn and/or Instagram.
Thanks to the alumni who have already shared their valuable thoughts. If you are an IHRC alum and would like to share, please be in touch!
Upcoming Events
Protest and the Academy: Assembly Rights and Freedom of Association on University Campuses
March 11
12:15pm| Milstein West B
Join the International Human Rights Clinic for a discussion with the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero. Universities around the world, including Harvard, continue to grapple with the role of, and response to, campus protest actions. In conversation with Clinical Professor Susan Farbstein, the Special Rapporteur will explore how international law understands the rights to peaceful assembly and association on university campuses. Professor Gerald Neuman, the J. Sinclair Armstrong Professor of International, Foreign, and Comparative Law, will introduce the Special Rapporteur and frame the discussion.
Past Events
Human Rights Legal Education: New Frontiers in Social Justice
This event occured as part of Harvard Law School’s Fall 2024 Reunion weekend.
Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this academic year, works at the cutting edge of education and advocacy to drive tangible change in human rights. In this session, clinical faculty and students will share insights about the evolution of human rights practice and teaching, and preview emerging methodologies that will shape human rights work in the decades to come.
We will consider how human rights lawyers are developing innovative new approaches to meet some of the world’s biggest challenges, from shifts in global power and rising authoritarianism, to climate change, to expanding inequality. We will also explore media advocacy and message framing in the current digital age, where truth is relentlessly contested.
Moderator:
Susan H. Farbstein ’04, Clinical Professor of Law and Director, International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School
Panelists:
Anna Crowe LL.M. ’12, Lecturer on Law and Associate Director, International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School
Aminta Ossom ’09, Lecturer on Law and Senior Clinical Instructor, International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School
Giovanna Garcia ’25, Clinical Student Attorney, International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School
Christopher Hudson-Verde ’25, Clinical Student Attorney, International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School
October 26, 2024
Jumping in to Human Rights Practice: Recent Alumni Reflect on a Shifting Field
Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring recent Clinic alumni who are at the forefront of human rights practice. Panelists will share their personal journeys, from navigating early career challenges to celebrating unexpected wins. They’ll offer reflections on:
– Emerging trends and approaches reshaping the field
– New challenges and threats facing the movement
– The future direction of human rights practice
– The realities of starting a career in human rights
– Essential skills that have driven their success
Engage with practitioners who are actively influencing the field and gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges in human rights practice today.
September 30, 2024
12:15-1:15pm
Milstein West A
IHRC Anniversary Reception: 20 Years of Launching Human Rights Careers
Join us for an informal reception celebrating two decades of the IHRC’s dedication to fostering the next generation of human rights advocates. This event is open to members of the Harvard human rights community including students, faculty, and staff.
September 30, 2024
4:00-6:00pm
HLS Pub
Invisible Crimes: Challenges and Good Practices in Documenting and Prosecuting Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
February 18, 2025
12:30 – 1:30pm | WCC 2009
Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) remains one of the least documented and prosecuted atrocity crimes, in both international and non-international armed conflicts. Drawing on Ukraine as a case study, this panel will examine the general legal framework of CRSV, good practices for documenting such crimes, and the challenges facing survivors, investigators, and litigators on their path to justice and accountability.
CRSV occurs in most armed conflicts. However, due to survivor reluctance to report, stigmatization, fragmentation of survivors’ accounts caused by complex trauma, scarcity of other types of evidence, and lack of special training and experience among of investigators, CRSV is often underreported and, as a result, not prosecuted. An absence of documentation and prosecution can create a sense of isolation and lawlessness among survivors on the one hand, and a sense of impunity among perpetrators on the other. The panelists will discuss the legal, psychological, and documentation challenges related to CRSV and share their experience and good practices in each field.
Moderator: Professor Susan Farbstein
Panelists:
Nathalie Robelot-Timtchenko – Founder & Executive Director of First Aid of The Soul, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Svitlana Valko – Programme Manager, Emergency Coordinator, Lead of Ukrainian Field Team at IPHR
Anastasiya Donets, LLM ‘ 24 – Lead of Ukraine Legal Team at IPHR
Missile Terror in Ukraine: Paths to Prevention and Accountability for Russian War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity
February 13, 2025
12:15-1:15 | Milstein East B
This panel brings together practitioners and experts involved in all levels of war crime investigation and prosecution, from evidence collection and legal analysis, to public reporting, litigation, and stakeholder advocacy. Panelists will discuss legal tools to prevent and prosecute Russian attacks against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, as well as the limitations of these options and potential alternatives.
With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearing its third anniversary, evidence of Russian war crimes and crimes against humanity mounts. Governments, international organizations, and civil society are re-evaluating their approaches to counter Russian aggression. The U.S. and other allies are providing Ukraine with weapons and financial support to defend its territory while, at the same time, imposing unprecedented sanctions and export controls to undermine Russia’s ability to wage the war. Despite these efforts, Russian forces continue to launch relentless aerial attacks against Ukraine, using high-precision missiles and drones reliant on Western-manufactured components. These smart weapons have killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians and caused widespread destruction of Ukrainian energy and civilian infrastructure. Last summer, the International Criminal Court issued four arrest warrants against Russian military commanders and government officials allegedly responsible for these attacks, but the attacks continue. Panelists will examine these developments and consider avenues for accountability and prevention.
Moderator: Anastasiya Donets, LLM ‘24 – Lead of the Ukraine Legal Team at IPHR
Panelists:
Prof. Susan Farbstein – Director of the International Human Rights Clinic and Clinical Professor at Harvard Law School
Anastasiya Donets, LLM ‘24 – Lead of the Ukraine Legal Team at IPHR
Celeste Kmiotek, JD ‘20 – Staff Lawyer for the Strategic Litigation Project at Atlantic Council
Prof. Ioannis Kalpouzos – Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School
Nazar Solomakha – Legal Officer, International Partnership for Human Rights