The GHRH discussed with students ways to contribute to the work of IOs and other actors in Geneva, whilst encouraging them to carry a human rights lens into their future studies and careers.
Human rights work is not only for human rights lawyers. It draws on knowledge and skills from many different fields, from international relations and the social sciences to technology, languages, public health and data analysis.
Over recent weeks, the Geneva Human Rights Hub (GHRH) has welcomed student groups from Seoul National University and the University of Washington for briefings on the United Nations human rights system and the wider ecosystem of International Geneva.
Earlier this summer, students from Seoul National University visited the GHRH as part of a programme led by Professor Joo-Young Lee. Coming from fields including social sciences, information technology, languages and international studies, the students discussed how human rights relate to their areas of study and how different forms of expertise can contribute to the work of international organisations and other actors in Geneva.
The GHRH also welcomed a study-abroad class from the University of Washington’s Department of Law, Societies & Justice and Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. Led by Stephen Meyers and Megan McCloskey, the programme focused on gender, disability and age inclusion in international human rights and humanitarian law.
The briefings introduced students to the work of the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies and other UN human rights mechanisms. They also looked at how international organisations, diplomatic missions, civil society, researchers and technical specialists interact across International Geneva, and how discussions taking place at the international level connect with human rights work in countries and communities.
An important part of the exchanges concerned professional life in Geneva. Students had an opportunity to ask candid questions about possible career paths, the skills and experience that organisations look for, and the realities of building a professional profile in a competitive international environment. The discussions also highlighted that there is no single route into this field and that human rights organisations increasingly need people who can bring perspectives from other disciplines.
For the GHRH, engaging with visiting university groups is an opportunity to make International Geneva more accessible to the next generation of professionals. These conversations help students understand how the system works in practice and, we hope, encourage them to bring a human rights perspective back into their studies and future careers.
We thank Joo-Young Lee, Stephen Meyers and Megan McCloskey for bringing their students to the GHRH, and all the students for their thoughtful questions and interest in the work of Geneva’s human rights community.
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