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Reflections from the Class of 2026

We asked two of our graduating students to reflect on their time in the International Human Rghts Clinic. Watch to learn about what projects they worked on, their fondest memories, and what insights they've gained on doing human rights work.

Advancing Humanitarian Disarmament in Challenging Times: A Campaigners Guide  

The International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School has released a new 20-page guide entitled Advancing Humanitarian Disarmament: Strategies for Campaigning in Challenging Times. It aims to help campaigners respond to recent developments while moving forward with their work.  

Standing with Street Vendors in São Paulo: Clinic Submits Brief to U.N. Special Rapporteurs 

The International Human Rights Clinic submitted a brief to the U.N. Special Rapporteurs regarding the impact of São Paulo’s Tô Legal licensing system on street vendors’ human rights. A submission to the Special Rapporteurs informs their work and supports engagement with authorities, including through requests for information and communications on alleged human rights violations. The brief was submitted as part of a coalition effort with eight human rights and labor organizations.
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New White Paper Highlights Key Insights from the Conference “Intent to Destroy: Confronting Russia’s Campaign to Erase Ukraine and Its People”

New White Paper released today with recommendations for concrete action, alongside a comprehensive summary of experts’ interventions during the conference “Intent to Destroy: Confronting Russia’s Campaign to Erase Ukraine and Its People”. 
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Clinic and Partners Publish New Brief – Warn of Russia’s “Weaponisation” of Counter-Claims in Ukraine v. Russia Genocide Case at the ICJ

The Clinic, along with its partners International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, and Truth Hounds, have released a briefing paper: “Russia’s New Front: Weaponising Counter-Claims in the Ukraine v Russia ICJ Genocide Proceedings.”
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Protect Civilians from Explosive Weapons

Governments should act on recent political commitments to protect civilians from the bombing and shelling that devastates cities and towns around the world, Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic and Human Rights Watch said in recently released report.  
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Intent to Destroy: Why the World Must Name and Confront Russia’s Genocidal War in Ukraine

Three and a half years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the prospects for peace and security feel slimmer than ever. From the outset, Russia has never sincerely sought peace—only Ukraine’s total submission.
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New IHRC + Human Rights Watch Brief: Upholding the Mine Ban Treaty Amid Ukraine’s “Suspension” Threat

The 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and its states parties’ obligations have been a major topic of discussion at the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security this October. Many states have criticized Ukraine’s unprecedented declaration to suspend its obligations under the treaty until its war with Russia ends. States began submitting formal objections to the UN on October 17.
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New Report Urges Stronger Action to End Suffering from Incendiary Weapons 

The Clinic and Human Rights Watch have released a new fact sheet, “Incendiary Weapons: Need for Stronger Law and a New Forum,” which Bonnie Docherty —who works for both the Clinic and Human Rights Watch—is disseminating in New York at the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. 
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“Killer Robots’ Threaten Human Rights During War, Peace  

Autonomous weapons systems pose grave risks to human rights during both war and peacetime, the International Human Rights Clinic and Human Rights Watch said in a recently released report. Governments should tackle the concerns raised by such weapons systems, known as “killer robots,” by negotiating a multinational treaty to address the dangers.