International Law and Human Rights

Description

The Master’s Degree Programme in International Law and Human Rights is a multidisciplinary programme that seeks to provide a thorough knowledge and understanding of these two fields. The programme offers a solid foundation in international legal scholarship and practice before focusing on the specialized area of human rights.
The programme is founded on a balance between three core dimensions: The first dimension is doctrine and practice. This element focuses on the foundations of international law and the vocabulary of norms and concepts (such as sources, sovereignty, and jurisdiction) employed by international lawyers and activists in the pursuit of their agendas, and of international organizations and tribunals in the performance of their functions. The second is theory and philosophy. International law and human rights are areas that enjoy worldwide intellectual attention and are the focus of ideological and scholarly debates and controversies. Authors and theorists from diverse fields will be studied as a means to connect the students to ongoing debates in the discipline. Finally, a focus on “skills” is meant to prepare the student for the practical application of international legal and human rights concepts and norms in concrete situations. This includes the ability to draft reports and legal briefs, participate in negotiations, and critically analyze legal documents including treaties, resolutions, and judgments.
The programme is divided into two semesters. In the first semester, all International Law students are instructed together from both the International Law and the Settlement of Disputes and the International Law and Human Rights Programmes. They are exposed to foundation courses in public international law, human rights, international organizations, legal research methods, and peace and conflict studies. In the second semester, students will have the opportunity to focus on their specialized area, delving deeper into the exploration of human rights. During the end of the first semester and throughout the second semester, students will be also working on an Independent Studies Thesis.
The University for Peace has access to the main focal points for the protection of human rights in the Americas. Both the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights are located in San José, Costa Rica, and leading personalities in these institutions are involved in the work of the programme. Courses will be taught by leading scholars in the field from all over the world. Such scholars include prominent professionals from international organizations and specialized agencies. The International Law and Human Rights Department has agreements with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in San Jose and the International Committee of the Red Cross to cooperate with the Programme in the teaching of refugee law and humanitarian law within the context of the Master’s Degree Programme.

Objectives

• To provide systematic knowledge and information on the important legal doctrines and frameworks of the law and practice of public international law, international organizations, in particular the United Nations, international criminal law, human rights and their mechanisms of implementation, international economic law, dispute settlement, global governance, international law and development, and the way that international law addresses such issues as human rights, environmental policy, terrorism, and war.
• To offer a theoretical appreciation of underlying ideas in the field of international law and human rights. This includes a critical orientation, discovering the challenges and potentials of international law and human rights, including providing a multi-disciplinary appreciation of the field of international law and human rights.
• To provide a background that enables students to translate their skills to operate effectively in governments, non-governmental organizations, or international institutions.
• To respond to the demands and challenges faced by students, scholars, university professors and practitioners who are continuing their education and mid-career professionals who are working in national or international governmental or non-governmental organizations and private enterprises.
  

Student Profile
Students of the Master’s Degree can expect to gain the skills and tools that enable them to serve as officers in international organizations, non-governmental organizations, humanitarian aid agencies, governments, as well as a platform for further graduate study, research, and scholarship. Students will also acquire advanced skills in critical analysis and research. The programme is designed for students from all professional or academic backgrounds, and not only those possessing a legal education.

Common Courses First Term (15 credits)

IPS-6000 Foundation Course in Peace and Conflict Studies (3 credits)

DIL-6030 Foundation Course in Public International Law (3 credits)

DIL-6031 Foundation Course in the United Nations and Other International Organizations (3 credits)

DIL-6032 Foundation course in Human Rights Law (3 credits)

DIL-6035 Legal Research and Writing (2 credits)

Common Courses Second Term: (2 credits)
DIL-6037 International Humanitarian Law (1 credit)

DIL-6038 International Refugee Law (1 credit)

Specialized Courses Human Rights Programme (12 credits)

DIL-6034 Human Rights and Development (2 credits)

DIL-6214 Human Rights Monitoring and Reporting (1 credit)

DIL-6215 Global and Regional Human Rights Systems (4 credits)

DIL-6250 Human Rights and the HIV/AIDS Crisis (2 credits)

DIL-6260 Human Rights, Gender and Religion (2 credits)

DIL-6270 International Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1 credit)

Electives (3 credits)
Students can choose an elective course offered at this time by the UPEACE Institute or other UPEACE programmes.

Independent Studies Thesis (8 credits)
DIL-7100 Independent Studies Thesis

Total Credits: 40

ILHR Student Academic Activities

Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
On February 2005 and 2006 respectively, students from the M.A Programmes in International Law participated in the National Round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The competition, which took place in San José, pitted the UPEACE team against a team of students from the University of Costa Rica.

The UPEACE Team (2005): Adib Samara (USA), Juan Amaya-Castro (Faculty/Coach), Gabriele Olivi (Italy), Venera Urbaeva (Kyrgyzstan), Mohammad Adil (Pakistan), Assong Undah (Cameroon), Stephanie Gliege (Faculty/Coach).

The UPEACE Team (2006): Bibian Isoto (Uganda), Ida Persson (Sweden), Colleen McLeod (Canada), Idowu Ajibade (Nigeria) and Dan Juma (Kenya).

Visit of the Vice-President of the International Court of Justice
The Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, H.E. Judge Awn Al-Khasawneh, visited UPEACE on 1 October 2007, on his way to the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of establishment of the Central American Court in Managua, Nicaragua. At the UPEACE campus he met the students in the International Law Programmes. He talked about the complex and essential connections between peace and justice and answered questions about the International Court of Justice.

H.E. Vice-President Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh (Jordan) has been a member of the Court since 6 February 2000 and its Vice-President since 6 February 2006.

Submission of Amicus Curiae Brief to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
In November 2006 the University for Peace, with the aid of the students from the International Law Masters Programmes, submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The submission of amicus curiae gives students an opportunity to engage in practical advocacy work. To access the amicus curiae brief submitted by the University for Peace in the matter of Yatama v Nicaragua click here >>.

UPMUNC
Every year the University for Peace organizes the UPEACE Model United Nations Conference (UPMUNC). UPMUNC is an authentic simulation of the United Nations General Assembly and other multilateral bodies and specialized agencies. UPMUNC provides participants with an interactive environment that allows them to learn about the structure, procedure and actors of the UN system through an international perspective. For more information about UPMUNC, visit the University for Peace Model United Nations Conference Website here >>

Resident Faculty

Gudmundur Eiriksson, (Iceland), Head of the Department of international Law and Human Rights

Juan M. Amaya Castro, (Colombia/the Netherlands), Deputy Head of the Department of International Law and Human Rights and Assistant Professor, International Law and Human Rights Department

Elizabeth Griffin, (United Kingdom), Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of International Law and Human Rights; Director, UPEACE Human Rights Centre

Hassan El Menyawi, (Egypt), Assistant Professor, Department of International Law and Human Rights

Natalia Riveros, (Colombia), Programme Officer, Department of International Law and Human Rights; Executive Coordinator, UPEACE Human Rights Centre

Resident Faculty International Law and Human Rights Department (2006-2007)

Visiting Faculty in International Law and Human Rights Programme (2006-2007)

Narinder Kakar, (India), Executive Director. UPEACE New York Office

Amr Abdalla, (Egypt), PH.D. Conflict Resolution, George Mason University; Professor and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, University for Peace

Stephanie J. Gliege, (USA), Director. US Association for the University for Peace; Former Assistant Professor, International Law and Human Rights Department, University for Peace

Theo R.G. van Banning, (The Netherlands), Netherlands Embassy, Rome; Former Human Rights Coordinator in the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Olger Gonzalez, (Costa Rica), Lawyer. Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Makau Mutua, (Kenya), Professor of Law and Director of the Human Rights Center at The State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, Buffalo, NY, United States

Dr. Basak Cali, (Turkey), Lecturer in Human Rights. University College London

Training Group from UNHCR:

Federico Martínez, (Costa Rica), Associate Legal Officer, Regional Legal Unit, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Juan Carlos Murillo, (Costa Rica), Senior Legal Adviser, Head of the Regional Legal Unit of the Americas Bureau, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Links to:

Visiting Faculty in International Law and Human Rights Programme (2005-2006)

Visiting Faculty in International Law and Human Rights Programme (2004-2005)

Visiting Faculty in International Law and Human Rights Programme (2003-2004)

Visiting Faculty in International Law and Human Rights Programme (2002-2003)

October/26/2007 last update