International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute

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International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute The International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)

About us:

The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) works with the global legal community to promote and protect human rights and the independence of the legal profession worldwide. What we do:

We provide human rights training and technical assistance for legal practitioners and institutions, building their capacity to effectively promote and protect human rights under a just rule of law. A leading institution in international fact-finding, we produce expert reports with key recommendations, delivering timely and reliable information on human rights and the legal profession. We support lawyers and judges who are arbitrarily harassed, intimidated or arrested through advocacy and trial monitoring. A focus on pertinent human rights issues, including the abolition of the death penalty, poverty, and sexual orientation forms the basis of targeted capacity building and advocacy projects. Why we are here:

Lawyers and judges play a fundamental role in facilitating access to justice, ensuring accountability of the state and upholding the rule of law. When the legal profession is not able to function independently or effectively, this gives rise to human rights violations, impunity and injustice. As part of the world's leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies, the IBAHRI is uniquely placed to build the capacities of the legal profession to promote and protect human rights and professional independence worldwide.

: at the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute ( ) General Meeting, IBAHRI Co-Chair Mark Stephens CBE ...
08/10/2026

: at the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute ( ) General Meeting, IBAHRI Co-Chair Mark Stephens CBE gave a broad reflection on the state of around the world and in what areas can have the biggest impact. He called on legal professionals to work on reinstating public trust in transnational organisations like the International Criminal Court - ICC and the United Nations.

Hina Jilani, IBAHRI Co-Chair, emphasised the importance of injecting energy into multilateral institutions while recognising their flaws and the need for reform. She spoke of the importance of targeting public mindset, not just governments.

Eleonora Scala, IBAHRI Programme Lawyer, highlighted some of the Institute's specific programmes, including the protection of children’s rights in and ; monitoring the peace process between the Turkish state and communities; and protecting the independence of the profession in a range of jurisdictions where it is under threat.

Find out more about the IBAHRI: https://www.ibanet.org/IBAHRI

: The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute ( ) shone a spotlight on the impact of conflict on childre...
08/10/2026

: The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute ( ) shone a spotlight on the impact of conflict on children in their showcase session, ‘The world and its children: the grave legal challenges to protecting the and rights of the child’ on Monday 5 October.

The session, co-convened by IBAHRI, Save the Children and Norton Rose Fulbright, brought together leading voices from the , humanitarian and communities to explore how international and domestic legal frameworks can be fully utilised to protect children’s rights.

Read more in Wednesday’s edition of the IBA Daily News, published by The Global Legal Post (Pages 4–5): https://www.ibanet.org/document?id=GLP-IBA-Daily-News-Copenhagen-Wed-07-Oct-2026

: On Thursday 8 October, join Eleonora Scala, Programme Lawyer at the International Bar Association's Human Rights Inst...
08/10/2026

: On Thursday 8 October, join Eleonora Scala, Programme Lawyer at the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute ( ), for the session 'From courtroom to community: strategic lawyering in restrictive environments'.

Panellists will examine the unique risks and measurable impact of strategic litigation in restrictive or hostile environments and explore how the broader community can provide effective support to carrying out this work.

Moderator:
🔹 Marissa Kardon Weber, International Criminal and Human Rights Lawyer, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Speakers:
🔹 Kristina Conti, National Union of People's Lawyers, Quezon City, Philippines
🔹 Catalina Domínguez Fernandez, Human Rights Lawyer, Nairobi, Kenya
🔹 Jonathan Hafetz, Seton Hall Law School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
🔹 Ben Keith, 5 St Andrew's Hill, London, England
🔹 Claudia Perez Perez, International Lawyer, Brindisi, Italy
🔹 Eleonora Scala, IBAHRI, London, England

: Dr Ewelina Ochab, Senior Programme Lawyer at the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute ( ), stressed...
07/10/2026

: Dr Ewelina Ochab, Senior Programme Lawyer at the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute ( ), stressed the need for more action on a domestic level to ensure accountability and for atrocity crimes in the session 'Global legal order: the reboot'.

: On Wednesday 7 October, 1615-1730, join Dr Ewelina Ochab, Senior Programme Lawyer at the International Bar Associatio...
07/10/2026

: On Wednesday 7 October, 1615-1730, join Dr Ewelina Ochab, Senior Programme Lawyer at the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute ( ), for the session ‘Global legal order: the reboot’, which will focus on how conflicts across the world are ripping through social orders and what this means for international .

Find out more: tinyurl.com/yeskxef4

Moderator:
- Kirsty Sutherland, 9 Bedford Row Chambers, London, England

Speakers:
- Federica D'Alessandra, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, District of Columbia, USA;
- Daniela Gavshon, Human Rights Watch, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;
- Ewelina Ochab, IBA's Human Rights Institute, London, England
- Milena Sterio, Public International Law and Policy Group, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Elsa Wyllie, Arendt Chambers Church Court Chambers, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

: 'Law as shield and sword' - IBAHRI Co-Chair Hina Jilani on targeted sanctions as tools for deterrence, and how can ...
07/10/2026

: 'Law as shield and sword' - IBAHRI Co-Chair Hina Jilani on targeted sanctions as tools for deterrence, and how can safeguard rights while supporting legitimate accountability efforts. Ms Jilani is joined by panellists Ben Keith, Rachel Alpert, John Balouziyeh and Karen Kaiser.

: Leo Varadkar, former Prime Minister (Taoiseach) of , speaks to IBAHRI Co-Chair Mark Stephens CBE about + rights and...
07/10/2026

: Leo Varadkar, former Prime Minister (Taoiseach) of , speaks to IBAHRI Co-Chair Mark Stephens CBE about + rights and the important role of in championing legislative reform.

From commitment to action: IBAHRI Senior Programme Lawyer Dr Ewelina U. Ochab, Professor Rangita De Silva-De Alwis, Amba...
06/10/2026

From commitment to action: IBAHRI Senior Programme Lawyer Dr Ewelina U. Ochab, Professor Rangita De Silva-De Alwis, Ambassador Stephen Rapp and Tahmina Salik discuss the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ( ) General Recommendation 30 Addendum and how it could help to address some of the challenges faced by globally.

On Wednesday 7 October from 0930–1045, Leo Varadkar, former Prime Minister of (Taoiseach), will be speaking to Mark St...
05/10/2026

On Wednesday 7 October from 0930–1045, Leo Varadkar, former Prime Minister of (Taoiseach), will be speaking to Mark Stephens CBE, Co-Chair of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute ( ), in the session 'The future of LGBTQI+ rights in a changing world' at .

Mr Varadkar served as Ireland's youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister, holding office from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024.

Rafhael Romero Bentos, Co-Chair of the LGBTQI+ Law Committee, will provide opening remarks at the session.

Find out more: https://www.ibanet.org/session-details/se_415037

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📣 ⚖️ Monday 5 October, 1430 - 1730, Room B2 1+3 on Level 0 of the Bella Center, Copenhagen, join the International Bar...
05/10/2026

📣 ⚖️ Monday 5 October, 1430 - 1730, Room B2 1+3 on Level 0 of the Bella Center, Copenhagen, join the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute ( ) for its showcase session 'The world and its children: the grave legal challenges to protecting the wellbeing and rights of the child'.

The session will explore a wide range of issues faced by children around the world – particularly in the context of conflict, fragility, violence and poverty – which currently affect more than one in five children. It will also consider whether individual legal jurisdictions are responsive in protecting children, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child.

Read the full programme: https://www.ibanet.org/document?id=IBAHRI-Save-The-Children-Copenhagen-Showcase-2026Oct

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