PUBLISHED:June 17, 2020

Watch: 'COVID-19: Advancing Rights and Justice During a Pandemic' series

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Co-sponsored by the International Human Rights Clinic, the hourlong panel discussions with leading academics, policy experts, and advocates focused on the ways the pandemic could impact human rights globally.

The International Human Rights Clinic at Duke Law partnered with other leading academic programs in recent weeks on a discussion series that examines the impact of COVID-19 on human rights around the world.

Titled COVID-19: Advancing Rights and Justice During a Pandemic, the twice-weekly hourlong panel discussions with leading academics, policy experts, and advocates focused on the ways the pandemic could impact such matters as sexual and reproductive health, surveillance and information rights, and mental health, and the opportunities it presents for innovations in human rights. The International Human Rights Clinic worked with Columbia Law School Human Rights InstituteColumbia Law School’s Center for Gender and Sexuality Law, and Just Security to organize the series, with several other programs serving as co-sponsors.

"This series was a unique opportunity to bring together an array of speakers from around the globe to address the human rights fallout of the pandemic and governments’ responses, as well as to look forward on how to build a human rights-compliant, post-pandemic world," said Clinical Professor Jayne Huckerby, who directs the International Human Rights Clinic. The series, which garnered positive response from viewers, may resume in September.

The following four discussions from the series on the impact of the pandemic on marginalized groups, socioeconomic rights, migrants and asylum seekers, and LGBTI people are moderated by members of the Duke Law faculty: Huckerby; International Human Rights Clinic Supervising Attorney and Senior Lecturing Fellow Aya Fujimura-Faneslow; Clinical Professor Kate Evans, director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic; and Harry R. Chadwick, Sr. Professor of Law Laurence Helfer.

Impacts of COVID-19 on Marginalized Groups: Implications for Policy and Advocacy

Moderated by Jayne Huckerby

Watch this discussion on the risks of deepened inequality within the COVID-19 pandemic, and how governments can use a human rights-based and intersectional approach to ensure the rights of all persons are protected. Panel features Amanda Klasing (Human Rights Watch), Charanya Krishnaswami (Amnesty), and Vince Warren (Center for Constitutional Rights). Recorded April 2, 2020.

COVID-19's Impact on Health, Housing, Water, and Sanitation: Socioeconomic Rights in Crisis

Moderated by Aya Fujimura-Fanselow

How can human rights-based approaches ground an effective response to the pandemic now, and build a better world afterwards? Join us for a talk with UN Special Rapporteur on Housing Leilani Farha, community advocate Catherine Flowers (Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice), and activist and epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves (Yale). Recorded April 7, 2020.

COVID-19 and its Response: Risks to Refugees, Migrants, & Asylum-Seekers

Moderated by Kate Evans

As governments respond to the novel coronavirus, asylum-seekers, migrants, and refugees are increasingly being left behind. Join us for a discussion with Bill Frelick (Human Rights Watch), Gillian Triggs (UNHCR), and Sana Mustafa (Asylum Access/ Network for Refugee Voices). Recorded April 22, 2020.

COVID-19 and the Human Rights of LGBTI People

Moderated by Laurence Helfer

As governments respond to the novel coronavirus, the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people are under increasing threat. Join us for a talk with Ymania Brown (ILGA World/PHRI), Gloria Careaga (UNAM), Victor Madrigal-Borloz (U.N. Independent Expert), and Danilo da Silva (LAMBDA). Recorded May 19, 2020.