United Nations Human Rights Clinic

This clinic will introduce students to the special procedures of the U.N. Human Rights Council. Working in a team, students will prepare a communication to one of its 45 thematic mandates, or 14 country-specific mandates, on behalf of an individual who has been persecuted or detained because of his or her political beliefs, religion, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, native language, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic status, and who has not used or promoted violence.

This clinic will also introduce students to the Universal Periodic Review, and will require students to prepare a submission to the Universal Periodic Review Working Group regarding the human rights conditions in a U.N. Member State currently undesummary[PDF, 1017k]r scrutiny. Under U.N. General Assembly resolution 60/251, the U.N. Human Rights Council is required to "undertake a universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfillment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all States.”

Students enrolled in this clinic will engage directly with the United Nations to help ensure that all States respect the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant international human rights instruments.

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