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Panel Hosts Virtual Discussion with Participants in Columbia University Human Rights Advocates Program

Columbia University 2020

The Inspection Panel on October 19, 2020, hosted a virtual discussion with participants in the Human Rights Advocates Program at Columbia University. Panel Chair Imrana Jalal and Operations Officer Birgit Kuba briefed the group, which included advocates from eight countries, on the Panel’s mandate and procedures and recent changes to the Panel’s toolkit approved by the Board of Executive Directors. Ms. Jalal and Ms. Kuba also fielded questions on a range of topics, including how the Panel makes itself known to communities, how the Panel defines success in its casework, how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Panel’s work and whether complainants can go to court to stop a project. Founded in 1989, the Human Rights Advocates Program provides grassroots leaders the tools, knowledge, access, and networks to strengthen their organizations and promote human rights. The group has spoken with the Panel annually in recent years. Participants in this year’s program come from Georgia, Ghana, Greece, India, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Mexico and Nigeria.