We know it has been a difficult week, as the situation related to the COVID-19 virus changes by the minute. As decision-making around the virus evolves, we are thinking of the safety, health, and well-being of our community on campus and affected communities around the world. This is our top priority right now. We have always sought to build a supportive and inclusive space for our students, partners, and staff, and we realize that this has been an emotional and difficult time for many. We also recognize that responses to the outbreak, such as quarantines and containment, can provide undue social, emotional, and economic hardship to already vulnerable populations. We urge local and national governments to consider the human rights implications of their actions and the distribution of resources as they seek to contain the virus and mitigate its effects.
Following the guidance of Harvard University and to lower the risk of transmission, the Human Rights Program (HRP) is cancelling all public events for the remainder of the semester. We are sad to postpone these conversations, and we look forward to finding ways of engaging virtually on critical topics during this time. In line with guidance from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, the International Human Rights Clinic has transitioned to conduct classes and clinical work online for the remainder of the term. We are also postponing the application deadline to our postgraduate fellowships from March 15 to March 31. Any graduating student or recent alumni who may face obstacles submitting materials by this date should contact Dana Walters ([email protected]). Last, HRP faculty and staff will be transitioning to remote work over the course of the next week. Our offices will be mostly empty as we adjust to this new mode of work.
To our students, we recognize that this is not how you wanted or expected to conduct your semester and that these changes will cause serious disruptions. We understand that many of you are upset and anxious at the prospect of abruptly leaving your community at the law school. We will continue to work with you to mitigate the impact of the disruptions, and to ease potential burdens, stress, and other challenges associated with the evolving public health situation. We want to remain a resource for you. We also encourage anyone at Harvard who is facing hardship to make use of the resources that the University has made available. For more information and to find more resources, please visit Harvard Law School’s COVID-19 FAQ page and Harvard University’s COVID-19 FAQ page.