This study visit, organised by the Centre for Fundamental Rights, took place for the second successive year.
On 26 April 2024, Hertie School students enrolled in the Human Rights and Global Governance concentration of the MIA programme had the opportunity to step inside the world of international human rights advocacy during a visit to the Human Rights Watch office in Berlin. Following presentations from researchers, students were also able to engage in a candid discussion which provided them with valuable insights into work in the field of human rights.
Fred Abrahams, former Associate Programme Director, introduced the ethos behind the work of Human Rights Watch. This was followed by a presentation from Senior Researcher in the Environment and Human Rights Division Luciana Tellez-Chavez, who explained the intricacies of her work in the field. Managing Director of the Digital Investigations Lab at HRW Sam Dubberley then provided our students with a glimpse into how technology is changing work in the field of human rights both by facilitating investigations with new forms of evidence, but also by posing new challenges in the ways in which can be misused and abused.
The conversation with students covered a range of topics, from technical questions on research methodologies to reflections on various approaches on retroactive justice. The HRW team also shared their perspectives on how they deal with the emotional challenges that work in the field of human rights can entail.