News and Events

2025 Global Jurist of the Year Award – Call for Nominations

September 25, 2024 

The Center for International Human Rights at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law invites nominations for its 2025 Global Jurist of the Year Award. The Award is granted annually to a sitting judge in recognition of that judge’s contribution to the advancement of international human rights law. Special account is taken of those who have shown outstanding dedication to the rule of law and courage in the face of adversity, including personal risk. Nominations should be submitted no later than October 28, 2024Read the full call for nominations (pdf).

                            


Past Events

Human Rights at Northwestern Event

September 24, 2024

The Center hosted an information session on opportunities to study human rights at Northwestern Law with a panel of professors, deans and student groups. Over 100 students attended to learn more about the opportunites offered. 

Photo of panel members surrounded by student attendees

Flyer (pdf)


Juliet Sorensen, Clinical Professor of Law and founder and director of the Northwestern Access to Health Project, takes up a new appointment at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law

September 04, 2024

Juliet Sorensen, Clinical Professor of Law and founder and director of the Northwestern Access to Health Project, takes up a new appointment at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. In addition to joining Loyola’s law faculty, Sorensen will serve as the director of the University’s Rule of Law Institute and Program in Rule of Law for Development. Read the full press release (pdf). 


Re-Imagining Transitional Justice in Ukraine

April 12, 2024

In partnership with the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the CIRH held a full day symposium entitled "Re-Imagining Transitional Justice in Urkaine." The Symposium reflected on the role that intersectionality and international criminal law can play in securing justice for survivors of gendered atrocity crimes in the ongoing Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Anchored in the global work of survivors and feminist coalitions that center the lived experiences of women in armed conflicts, the Symposium highlighted current community-centered accountability initiatives to address violence against Ukrainian women and other vulnerable groups. 

Panelist speaking at symposium event

Flyer (pdf)  |  Agenda (pdf)


COCOBOD's Unrealised Potential
Promoting Human Rights, Welfare, and the Environment in Ghana's Cocoa-Growing Communities

June 17, 2021
Invitation to COCOBOD Virtual Report Launch (pdf)


Human Rights in Tigray

April 24, 2021
Tom Geraghty talks with Charles Majinge, UNDP Justice Specialist, Ethiopia, LL.M. in Human Rights, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Watch the video   


Journal of Human Rights/Human Rights and Diplomacy Symposium

April 8, 2021
Northwestern University School of Law
View the schedule of events (pdf) 


Collaborative Training on Clinical Legal Education

March 25-26, 2021
Addis Ababa University Law School and Bluhm Legal Clinic, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

View the session videos: Day 1 | Day 2


Journal of Human Rights/Journal of Ethiopian Law Symposium
"Human Rights and Access to Justice in Ethiopia"

February 18, 2020
Northwestern University School of Law

The Law School was privileged to host the symposium, “Human Rights and Access to Justice in Ethiopia,” on February 18, 2020. The presenters at the symposium included leading Ethiopian legal scholars and practitioners. Members of the Northwestern law faculty and Northwestern Law School graduates participated as commentators on the presentations. In addition to the presenters and commentators, the symposium was attended by members of the Ethiopian diaspora, by Northwestern Law School faculty and students, and by Northwestern alumni. The Symposium offered participants and attendees the opportunity to exchange information and ideas about on-going initiatives and enabled them to plan for future collaborations both in the U.S. and in Ethiopia. The articles presented at the symposium and the proceedings of the symposium will be published in a forthcoming issue of Northwestern’s Journal of Human Rights.

                          Symposium Picture

Program booklet (pdf).



Global Health Interdisciplinary Symposium - November 19-20, 2015

The Northwestern University Global Health Interdisciplinary Symposium took place in Chicago on November 19 and 20, 2015. Sponsored by multiple Northwestern University partners, including the Bluhm Legal Clinic Center for International Human Rights, the event seeks to catalyze the exchange and cross pollination of ideas related to global health. Symposium highlights includes a keynote address by Jeffrey D. Sachs, world-renowned professor of economics, leader in sustainable development, senior UN advisor, bestselling author, and syndicated columnist whose monthly newspaper columns appear in more than 100 countries. Learn more via the global health symposium website.

View the Jeffrey D. Sachs interview.

Watch the video recording of the keynote presentation:


Atrocity Crimes Litigation Year-in-Review Conferences for 2015-2014, 2014-2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007

Early each year CIHR convenes the Atrocity Crimes Litigation Year-in-Review Conference to examine the practice and jurisprudence of the major war crimes tribunals during the immediately preceding calendar year. Moderated by Professor Scheffer, the conference is the only one of its kind in the United States and brings together prosecutors, judges, defense counsel, investigators, and administrators of the tribunals, as well as a distinguished academic commentator, to hold a day-long discussion about the preceding year’s developments in the dynamic field of international criminal law and where it is litigated. The Northwestern Journal of International Human Rights works closely with CIHR to publish a special edition each year of articles drawn from the conference. View video and transcripts of each conference.


The Fate of the Alien Tort Statute as Supreme Court Rules on Kiobel - April 2013

Video of panel discussion


Inter-American Commission on Human Rights - 2008

Six students from the Human Rights Advocacy clinic accompanied Associate Clinical Professor Sandra Babcock to a hearing at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington, D.C. On behalf of three Mexican nationals sentenced to death in Texas, the clinic filed petitions arguing that the United States had violated several provisions of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man in each case. Lawyers from the Department of State argued on behalf of the U.S. Government. Clinic students were instrumental in drafting the petitions and preparing for the hearing. The commission may issue a final report as early as July 2008.
Video of conference (wmv) | Audio of conference | Pictures from conference


Transatlantic Symposium Focuses on Corporate Human Rights Responsibilities - 2007

This symposium will identified recommendations for major legal and policy measures to address the human rights abuses for which multinational corporations (MNC), under appropriate legal standards, are beginning to assume responsibility. Panel topics included conducting a factual inquiry into the specific human rights abuses for which MNCs are being scrutinized, determining where the responsibility lies to correct these abuses, examining relevant policy arguments, considering the role of so-called "soft" rules in addressing human rights violations, and offering conclusions concerning a recipe for the future regarding corporate human rights responsibility. Event Details