InternationalHumanRightsInternshipsProgram

2010Report

2 IHRIP2010REPORT

Tableofcontents

Introduction 3

PatrickReynaud,LICADHOPhnomPenh,Cambodia

4

AnjaKortenaar,ICTRArusha,Tanzania

4

ChristopherMaughan,AteneoHumanRightsCenterManila,Philippines

5

AlexandraPace,EQUITASMontréal,Canada

6

LeilaBeheshti,HIV/AIDSLegalNetworkToronto,Canada

6

NaomiGreckol­Herlich,HumanRightsWatchNewYork,UnitedStates

7

CayleeHong,AmnestyInternationalOttawa,Canada

8

ElenaHaba,CentrodeEstudiosLegalesySocialesBuenosAires,Argentina

8

ChiaraFish,MaliiganikTukisiiniakvikLegalServicesNunavut,Canada

9

PerriRavon,Inter­AmericanCourtofHumanRightsSanJosé,CostaRica

10

KellyMcMillan,RefugeeLawProjectKampala,Uganda

10

LudovicLanglois­Thérien,CONGEHYaoundé,Cameroon

11

IHRIP2010REPORT 3

InternationalHumanRightsInternshipsProgram

2010Report

Introduction

McGillUniversity’sFacultyofLawenjoysarichtraditionofhumanrightseducationandinvolvement.In1992,theFacultyestablishedanumberofpartnershipswithnon‐governmentalorganizations(NGOs)and institutions in the global South and in Canada and the United States. In 2000, the internshipprogrambecameafullycreditedcoursewithformalrequirements,thusallowingstudentstoearnsixcredits toward the completion of the McGill B.C.L./LL.B Program. The International Human RightsInternshipsProgramisadministeredbytheCentreforHumanRightsandLegalPluralism.

The InternationalHumanRights Internship Program carefully selects law students for placements asinternswithNGOsandtribunalsforaperiodof12weeks,givingstudentsanopportunitytoexperienceandcontributetotheworkofhumanrightsorganizationsinCanadaandbeyond.Partnerorganizationsprovide students with practical work experience in human rights investigation, monitoring, andreporting.

UpontheirreturntoMcGill,studentsarerequiredtosubmitaninternshipreportdescribingtheirworkandexperiences.Studentalsomustwriteanacademicresearchessaysupervisedbyaprofessor,onathemelinkedtotheirsummerinternship.

Aroundtheworldwiththestudentinterns

The experiences of the nine studentswhowere selected to participate during the summer of 2010clearlydemonstratethebroadrangeofopportunitiesthatthisprogramoffers.Eachstudentreportedarichandeducationalexperience.Here’swhattheyhadtosay.

4 IHRIP2010REPORT

Intern:PatrickReynaud Location:PhnomPenh,Cambodia

Placement:CambodianLeagueforthePromotion FacultySupervisor:AlanaKleinandDefenseofHumanRights(LICADHO)

ResearchPaper:FramingDissent:OpportunitiesforPeacefulResistanceinCambodia

*RecipientoftheLordReadingAward

PatrickReynaud spent the summerat theCambodianLeague for the Promotion and Defense of HumanRights (LICADHO). Founded by Dr. Pung Chiv Kek, aleading and respected Cambodian human rightsadvocate, LICADHO has since the early 1990’sremainedattheforefrontofissuessuchasfreedomofexpression, land rights, women’s rights, prisoners’rightsandchildren’srights. PatrickfoundLICADHOtobeavibrantandactiveorganization,veryoutspokeninthe Cambodian context against human rightsviolations.For the duration of his internship, Patrick worked inthe Advocacy, Documentation and Resources Office,which is in charge of compiling and documentingnarratives,photosandvideosandupdatingdatabaseslinked to human rights abuses. Therewere fourmaincomponents to his work, the first of which involvedediting and drafting reports thatwere earmarked fornear publication. One of the two reports with whichPatrick was involved dealt with attacks and threatsagainsthumanrightsdefendersinCambodia,andgavehim theopportunity topersonally interview,with thehelp of a translator, two human rights defenders,journalistMr.HangChakraandcommunityleaderMr.YouTho.Henotedthatthiswasavaluableexperiencein termsofdeepeninghisknowledgeofhuman rightsissues in Cambodia. The second aspect of Patrick’swork was to provide general institutional support,which includededitinganddraftingpress statements,

donor reports, and institutional reports. After havingworked a month with LICADHO, Patrick also had theopportunity to be involved in monitoring trials anddemonstrations, which often proved to be highlyemotionallychargedsituations.Finally,Patricksawthedevelopment of a good rapport with his Khmercolleagues as a central element of his internship at

LICADHO.Bytheendofthesummer,hefeltquiteclosetosomeofhisKhmercolleaguesandhelooksbackonthis aspect of his experience as perhaps the mostpositive and emotionally fulfilling aspect of theinternship.

Patrick(secondfromleftattheback)withfellowcoworkersatLICADHO

Intern:AnjaKortenaar Location:Arusha,Tanzania

Placement:InternationalCriminalTribunalforRwanda FacultySupervisor:FrédéricMégret

ResearchPaper: Packer’sModelsofCriminalProcedureAppliedtotheICTRandICTY:TheExampleofCertificationtoAppealInterlocutoryDecisions

*RecipientoftheLindseyCameronAward

Anja pursued an internship in Tanzania, at theInternationalCriminalTribunalforRwanda(ICTR).TheICTR was created by the United Nations GeneralAssembly to investigate and prosecute crimes ofgenocide and other violations of internationalhumanitarian law committed in Rwanda andsurroundingareas in1994.Anja loved thechallenging

andfast‐pacednatureofthework,andherexperiencestronglyimpactedhercareergoals.

During her internship, Anja had the opportunity towork both in the Chamber Support Section and withtheDefenceteams,whichallowedhertoseetwoverydifferent facets of the ICTR.Working in two different

IHRIP2010REPORT 5

divisions, she notes, is highly unusual, andwasmadepossible due to her sustained interest in criminaldefence work and her initial placement in theChambers Support Section. While working in theChambers Support Section, Anja drafted a decisionregardinganinterlocutorymotion,andhadthechanceto discuss her draft with Judge Dennis C.M. Byron,PresidentoftheICTR.Amonthintoherinternship,shestarted working with a Defence lawyer and wasassigned to draft Interlocutory Appeals, Motions andResponses to theProsecutor’sMotions. In the courseof her work with the Defence team, Anja had theopportunity to attend court hearings, meet with theclient,visitawitnesssafe‐housetoseetheCo‐Counselprepare the witness for examination, and to meet

someofthoseacquittedbytheICTR.Anjaalsogottowork with other Defence lawyers, more precisely ontheClosingBrief for Jean‐BaptisteGatete andon theAppellateReplyforTheonesteBagosora.

Anja’s work in the Defence office was one of thehighlightsofher internship,andshehasbeenabletocontinue working with a Defence lawyer on a part‐time basis after the completion of her internship.Anothermemorable aspect of Anja’s experiencewasthatoftravellingaroundTanzaniaandtoneighboringcountries,includingRwanda.There,shevisitedseveralgenocidememorials, which, according to her, makesone’s experience at the ICTR so much moremeaningful.

Intern:ChristopherMaughan Location:Manila,Philippines

Placement:AteneoHumanRightsCenter FacultySupervisor:AlanaKlein

ResearchPaper: Evaluating the Prospects for the Creation of An Independent Regional Human RightsCommissionandCourtfortheAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations

*RecipientoftheNovak‐WeilAward

Christopher worked at the Ateneo Human RightsCenter (AHRC) housed in the Ateneo de Manila LawSchool inManila, Philippines. The AHRC’smandate isto lobby for the protection and promotion of humanrights in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. TheCentre’smain activities consist of education, training,research,publication,andadvocacy.

While at AHRC, Christopher completed severalresearch projects,most ofwhichwere related to thespecificproblemsofextrajudicialkillingsandenforceddisappearances of activists, journalists, and othermembersofcivilsocietywhohavebeencriticalofthegovernment. Given his interest in those issues,Christopher was assigned to work with the AHRClawyerinchargeofsettinguptheMulti‐SectoralQuickReaction Teams, a one‐stop resource for families ofvictims wishing to take action, which coordinateseffortsat investigation inorder to fight impunity.Thebulkofhisworkduringthesummer2010consistedofresearching and writing memoranda on extrajudicialkillings and disappearances to identify whatinternational obligations were bearing on thePhilippinesandhow thesedecisionsmightbeused inlitigation in typical Philippine cases. Christopher wasalso involved in projects in connection with hisbackground in journalism. He was asked to write

mediastatementsonbehalfoftheCenterandcontentfortheCenter’swebpage,andhepreparedastep‐by‐stepguideonwritingpress releases tohelpmembersof the AHRC staff participate in media advocacy.Christophernotesthattheseprojectswereinterestingexercises in learning how to communicate legal ideastonon‐jurists.

Christopher’smostmemorableexperience in the fieldwasgoingtoaquickreactionteamtrainingeventandopen forum in Northern Samar, the Philippines’poorest province. Seeing how the AHRC was able tobringtogethergroupsofpeople,whichhadpreviouslybeen unwilling to cooperate, to learn about humanrights protectionwas truly rewarding for Christopher,and so was seeing his research on legal remediespresented at the training. Through his experience,Christopherrealizedthatanychangethatcomesaboutwith respect to human rights must come slowly andincrementally, and recognized that local powerstructuresandmodesof influencemustbetaken intoaccountwhenworkinginthedevelopingworld.

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Intern:AlexandraPace Location:Montréal,Canada

Placement:EQUITAS–InternationalCenterfor FacultySupervisor:VrindaNarainHumanRightsEducation

ResearchPaper:Disability,MentalIllnessandtheEndofLife:TheRhetoricofDifference

*RecipientoftheJusticeMorrisFishAward

Intern:LeilaBeheshti Location:Toronto,Canada

Placement:CanadianHIV/AIDSLegalnetwork FacultySupervisor:AlanaKlein

ResearchPaper: AnExaminationof theSignificantRiskStandard inR.v.CuerrierThroughtheDoctrineofVoid‐for‐Vagueness

*RecipientoftheNovak‐WeilAward

Alexandra’s internship placement was at Equitas inMontreal,Canada.Equitas isanon‐profitorganizationestablished in 1967 and specializes in trainingeducators to teach the rights‐based approach toanalyzingandremedyingconflict. Itsmostwell‐knownprogram, the International Human Rights TrainingProgram(IHRTP), isanannualhumanrightseducationtraining program held in Sainte‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue,which brings together over 120 carefully selectedhuman rights educators fromall over theworld for athree‐weekprogram.

Alexandra’sroleinthesummerof2010wastosupportthe education team, which is responsible fordevelopingthecurriculumoftheIHRTPandsupporting

the facilitators who guide each group of participantsthrough the program. Her responsibilities included:organizinglogisticsforseveralIHRTPactivities,suchasa visit to theMontrealMemorialHolocaustMuseum;documentingplenarypresentationsoftheIHRTP,and;compiling reports based on participants’ work tocreate a body of information available to allparticipantsaftertheprogram.

Alexandra’s work drew on her bilingual skills. Shefound it rewarding to work in French and English, inparticular with many different French and Englishaccents and vocabularies. She emphasizes this as adynamic and engaging aspect of her internshipexperience.

AlexandradescribesEquitasasanenvironmentwhereteamworkisakeycomponentofproblem‐solving,andshefounditveryrewardingtobeabletotrustandbetrustedbytherestof theteam.Knowinghowbest tosupport teammembers, she recalls, andknowingyoucan in turn rely on them, makes most challengessurmountable. Finally, Alexandra felt that spendingtimewith theparticipantsof the IHRTPwas themostmemorablepartoftheprogram.Thebusyscheduleofthe program sometimesmade it hard to get to knowothers, including the staff, volunteers and otherinterns, but human moments as she calls them,

“experienceyousimplywon’tfindinatextbook”,weresurelythehighlightsofherinternship.Alexandra Pace (fifth from left) with fellow interns and

volunteersattheInternationalEveningoftheIHRTP

Leila spent the summer in Canadawith the CanadianHIV/AIDS Legal Network. The Legal Network is aleading organization that promotes human rightsamong individuals affected by and vulnerable toHIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C in Canada andinternationally. The organization is committed tocarrying out its work in a way that is sensitive to

various parameters of identity, and engages withissuesof race,gender, sexuality,abilityandclass.TheLegalNetworkisalsostronglyconnectedtograssrootsorganizations,suchasthePrisoners’HIV/AIDSSupportActionNetwork(PASAN),acommunity‐basednetworkof prisoners, ex‐prisoners, activists and communityorganizations working to provide support and

IHRIP2010REPORT 7

Intern:NaomiGreckol­Herlich Location:NewYorkCity,U.S.A.

Placement:HumanRightsWatch FacultySupervisor:FrédéricMégret

ResearchPaper: SurveyingTheScene:ThePresentMomentInInternationalCriminalLawAndThePossiblePitfallsOfComplementarity

*RecipientoftheNovak‐WeilAward

At Human Rights Watch (HRW) in New York, Naomiworked in the International Justice Programme (IJP),which focuseson supporting various justice initiativesagainst impunity for war crimes, crimes againsthumanityandgenocide.

Oneof themajor focusesatHRWduring the summer2010 was how to address the outstanding arrestwarrants for high‐level perpetrators fromDarfur.Oneof Naomi’s tasks therefore included tracking mediacoverage and UN briefings on this topic, andcondensing them into readable summaries for theSenior Counsel in charge of the IJP’s work on Darfur.During the course of her internship, Naomi alsoattended meetings devoted to discussing thecompletion strategies of the ad hoc internationalcriminaltribunals(ICTYandICTR)andreportedbacktoand discussed with the Director of the InternationalJusticeProgramHRW’spossibleandmostusefulroleintheseproceedings.Themost law‐focusedworkNaomiwas tasked with over the summer was to write amemo specifically analyzing article 87(7) of the RomeStatute,which details the process for enforcement of

arrestwarrantsinthefaceofanuncooperativestate.Itrequired her to consult the commentary on theStatute,aswellastoapplyherownskillsofstatutoryinterpretation in order to produce a well‐researchedmemoonthetopic.

One of the highlights of Naomi’s experience at HRWwas the opportunities that arose to attend meetingswithotherorganizations.Shehadthechance tosit inonSecurityCouncilproceedingstodiscusscompletionstrategies of the ad hoc tribunals, to participate tomeetingswiththeleadProsecutoroftheICTYandcivilsociety organizations, and to attend a book launch attheOpenSociety Institute. Through thoseevents andothers she attended while in New York City, Naomiwas able to make contacts with other professionalsworking in international criminal law all over theworld.Shenotesthatthiswasaninvaluablepartofherinternshipexperience.

education to prisoners on HIV related issues. Leilafound her experience at the Legal Network enrichingand positive. She appreciated the level of autonomythe work environment required, and she enjoyedworking with people with whom she shared similarconcerns.During her internship at the Legal Network, Leilaprovidedlegalresearchassistanceonabroadrangeoftopics,fromsexworkers’rightsanddivisionofpowersissues, to the legal operation of supervised injectionsitesandprisoners’ rights,all related toHIV.Muchofher work involved researching case law, draftingmemoranda, and correcting and formatting citations.Hermostsubstantialand long‐termproject related tothefirstlitigationprojecteverundertakenbytheLegalNetwork.Moreprecisely,Leilaassistedinthedraftingofa factumon theconstitutionalityofpreventing theestablishment of needle‐syringe programs in prisons.

Asaresultofworkingontheproject,shewasalsoableto meet with interested parties and litigators todevelop strategies regarding some of the arguments.She recalls that her involvement in the case veryconcretely opened her eyes to the very interestingrealmofprisoners’rightsandadvocacy.AhighlightofLeila’sexperiencewasherexposuretoadifferent aspect of HIV/AIDS human rights work thatshe had been altogether unfamiliar with previously.She found it enlightening, as it served to reveal themultifariousnatureofHIV,humanrightsand the law.Another highlight of her internship with the LegalNetworkwastheopportunitytoconnectwithadiverserange of individuals with incredible expertise andpassionfortheworkthattheydo.

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Intern:CayleeHong Location:Ottawa,Canada

Placement:AmnestyInternationalCanada FacultySupervisor:VrindaNarain

ResearchPaper:FeministsontheFreedomofReligion:ResponsestoBill94

*RecipientoftheJusticeMorrisFishAward

“Itwasagreatlearningexperiencetoreceivefeedbackfromprofessionalsandtoalsoconfirmthattheskillsinlawschoolwerepertinentto‘real

liveissues’.”

‐CayleeHong

Intern:ElenaHaba Location:BuenosAires,Argentina

Placement:CentrodeEstudiosLegalesySociales FacultySupervisor:FrédéricMégret

ResearchPaper:DisabilityinTransition:TheimpactofmentaldisabilityrightsonArgentina’sruleoflaw

*RecipientoftheRathlynAward

CayleepursuedworkatAmnestyInternationalCanada(AIC) in Ottawa, which is an independent, non‐partisan, non‐governmental organization. AIC hasfocused extensively on indigenous rights as well asimmigrationandrefugeeissuesandincreasinglyworkson national security. Unlike many country offices ofAmnesty International, AIC also participates inlitigation. Caylee found her twelve‐week internshipwith the organization to be an incredibly inspiring,challengingandeye‐openingexperience.NearlyallofCaylee’stasksatAICwereofalegalnatureand allowed her to learn about a broad range ofnational and international human rights issues. Shescoured legal search engines, reviewed case law andpresentedpotential legalarguments to the lawyers inthe form of memos. During the summer 2010, AIC’slegal efforts were largely located in the proceedingsbefore the Military Police Complaints Commission inwhich AIC alleges that the Canadian Forces MilitaryPolicetransferreddetaineesfromCanadiancustodytoAfghanauthoritiesdespiteevidencethatthedetaineeswould likely face torture. Caylee thus attended theCommission’shearingsthroughoutherinternship,andwrote daily feedback reports and updated Amnesty’swebsite with summaries of the Commission. Thatexperience exposed her to areas she was previously

unfamiliar with, such as military justice andoperationallaw,andallowedhertowitnessthecross‐examination of Canada’s leadingmilitary officials andpoliticaladvisors.During her internship, Caylee also had the chance towork with the Canadian Centre for InternationalJustice (CCIJ), where she helped organize theContinuing Legal Education Course on Criminal andCivilLiability forWarCrimes,GenocideandTorture inToronto. Although her contribution to CCIJ was notlegal,shenotesthat itgaveheranother look intothework of NGOs engaged in law and policy issues. Shefelt inspired to think beyond more traditional careerpaths by those she met through the process –including lawyers, human rights abuse survivors andactivists – and working with them enticed her tostronglyconsiderembarkingona legalcareerwithanNGOinCanada.

Elena headed to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to pursuework with the Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales(CELS).CELSwascreatedin1979asaresponsetothehumanrightsabusesandforceddisappearancestakingplaceduringthelastmilitarydictatorshipofArgentina.Theorganizationaimsatinfluencingthepolicy‐makingprocess based on respect for the fundamental rights;and at promoting legal and institutional reformsdesigned to improve the quality of democraticinstitutions;andatpromotinganincreasedexerciseoftheserightsbythemostvulnerablesectors insociety.

It has established human rights and immigrationclinics, and its work involves both political advocacyandstrategiclitigation.

Elena spent the first week of her internshipfamiliarizing herself with the NGO’s work and morespecifically with the topic of mental disability rights.She attended and reported on several conferencesheld by NGOs and governmental bodies in order tolearnabout therecentdevelopmentsandmain issuespertaining to mental disability in rights in Argentina.

IHRIP2010REPORT 9

Intern:ChiaraFish Location:Nunavut,Canada

Placement:MaliiganikTukisiiniakvikLegalServices FacultySupervisor:PayamAkhavan

ResearchPaper: AbandoningInuitYouthinCustody:TheYouthCriminalJusticeActinNunavut

*RecipientoftheNovak‐WeilAward

Inthesummer2010,Chiarawentupnorthtoworkforthe Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik Legal Services, the legalaidofficethatservestheBaffinregionofNunavut.Theoffice provides legal services in the areas of criminal,family, poverty and civil law. According to Chiara,interningatMaliiganikisauniqueopportunityfor lawstudents because of the practical, hands‐on workexperience in an isolated, complicated and beautifulpart of the country. She found that her colleagueswere tremendously dedicated and tough, and thatMaliiganikwasawarmandwelcomingplace,especiallyconsidering that it can be a difficult place to workbecause of the gravity of the offences, the lack ofresourcesandthefrustratingsocialconditions.At Maliiganik, Chiara supported the criminal andpoverty lawyersbyproviding the researchneeded fortheir cases. Some research involved questions of lawthatwereneeded for trials takingplace thatweekorday, and others were longer‐term projects. Chiarafoundthoseassignmentsinterestingastheypertainedto real cases, and her contribution was relevant andurgent.Herresearchprojects included,amongothers:Charter applications regarding searches and seizurethat were related to drugs and bootlegged alcohol;exclusionofevidenceduetovoluntarinessand lengthof police interrogation; and reintegration of adultoffenders. Throughout the summer, Chiara also

representedclientsinJusticeofthePeaceCourt,whichshefoundmostchallengingandexciting.TogetherwithMaliiganik’s articling student and a courtworker, theyhandled daily matters, such as bail hearings, pleas,sentencing,andapplicationstovaryconditions.Chiaraconductedmostlybailhearings.Shewouldreviewtheclient’s newest file and other open files, contact theclientbyphoneorby going to speakwithhim/her attheRCMPDetachment,andprepareaplanof releasewith the client. The latter involved contactingpotentialsuretiesandoftenprovedchallenging,asthesuretiesdidnotnecessarily have telephonesor speakEnglish, and bail hearings had to be prepared andconducted within a very short time frame. Theopportunity to have direct client contact, however,and theopportunity to represent clients in courtwasinvaluable.While in Nunavut, Chiara learned about the socialchallenges that Inuit communities face, and hercoworkers taughther about their history and culture.She had the chance to learn about a part of Canada,which, she notes, is not taught in schools and toorarelydiscussedinpublic,andsheappreciatedthatallofthestaffwerehappytoexplainculturaldifferences,answerquestionsandspeakopenlyaboutseriousandsensitiveissues.

She was later assigned to do comparative legalresearch on mental disability rights, and herknowledge of the safeguards and protectionscontainedintheQuebeclegislationforindividualswithmental disabilities – lacking in Argentinean law –allowed her to prepare materials based on theseconcepts that were later used during meetings withkey NGOs and legislative actors working in the area.Elena’s work on these projects also gave her theopportunity to visit several public mental healthinstitutions in the region. The harsh living conditionsthat she witnessed on the occasions helped her tobetter understand the challenges facedby individualswithdisabilitiesandtheirrelatives.

Thesummer2010wasalsoaparticularlygoodtimetopursue a legal internship in Argentina, as was taking

place the trial of the guards and officers who ranclandestine detention camps during the militarydictatorship of the late seventies. Elena had theopportunity to assist one of the lawyers working onthecaseinthepreparationofvictimstotestifyattrial.Shefeltextremelyprivilegedtobepresentwhilemanyof the victims and their relatives recounted theirstories, each of them being emotionally charged,unique, and unforgettable. Through that experience,Elena grew personally and was able to identify herstrengths and limits. The insights she gained whileworking at CELS, both in terms of NGO work andpersonal preferences, will surely assist her in futurecareerchoices.

10 IHRIP2010REPORT

Intern:PerriRavon Location:SanJosé,CostaRica

Placement:Inter‐AmericanCourtofHumanRights FacultySupervisor:RobertLeckey

ResearchPaper: A Right to a Dignified Life in Canada? Developing a Prudent and Legitimate Approach forOfferingProtectiontoEconomicandSocialRightsunderSection7oftheCharter

*RecipientoftheNancyParkMemorialPrize

Intern:KellyMcMillan Location:Kampala,Uganda

Placement:RefugeeLawProject FacultySupervisor:FrançoisCrépeau

ResearchPaper: Uganda’s Invocation of Cessation Regarding Its Rwandan Refugee Caseload: A Failure for InternationalProtection

*RecipientoftheLitvackAward

Perri headed to Costa Rica to pursue work with theInter‐American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). TheIACHR, established in 1979 and based in San José,CostaRica,isanautonomousjudicialinstitutionaimedatapplyingand interpretingtheAmericanConventiononHuman Rights, a regional treaty that protects civilandpoliticalrights,suchastherighttolife,therighttohumane treatment and the right to a fair trial. TheIACHR is the highest judicial authority in matters ofhuman rights on the American continent. Perri’sacademic background, her travels throughout LatinAmericaandherfluencyinSpanishhelpedhersettleinmore easily at the Court and made for a uniqueexperience,which, she is sure,will help her in futureendeavors.

As an intern at the Inter‐American Court of HumanRights,Perriworked inoneof the legal teams,whereshehadachancetobeinvolvedwithdraftingdecisionsincontentiouscases,issuingprovisionalmeasures,andsupervising States’ compliance with the Court’sdecisions. Each project allowed her to learn moreabout the workings of the Court and to developparticular legal skills. The most challenging andstimulating project Perri participated in consisted inthe drafting of a resolution supervising the State ofColombia’scompliancewithajudgmentissuedagainst

it in 2007. This work required her to scrutinize thesubmissions of the State, the representatives of thevictimsandtheCommission,toresearchthehistoricalandpoliticalcontextofthedecision,andtoanalyzetheCourt’s case law on the issuing and supervision ofspecific remedies. Drafting the resolution in Spanish,she recalls, was demanding, but an excellentexperience.

Perri’s relationship with her supervising lawyer wasone of the central positive experiences of herinternship. By observing her supervisor’s work andtalkingwith her, she learntwhat entailsworking as alawyer at an international court, the rapport lawyersentertainwith judges and the Court’s secretariat, thework lawyers perform aside from the cases that arebrought to the Court, and the independent researchtheycarryout intheirareasofspecialization.Anotherhighlight of Perri’s internship at the Court was theopportunity to sit inona case fromBrazil,whichhadreceived a lot ofmedia coverage and proved to be afascinatingexperience.Attendinghearings, shenotes,provide interns with the unique opportunity toobserve some of the most important human rightscases on the continent, and increases one’sunderstandingof the roleof theCommission and theinternalworkingsoftheCourt.

Inthesummer2010,KellysetoutforUgandatoworkfor theRefugeeLawProject (RLP),anNGOassociatedwithMakerereUniversity’sFacultyofLawinKampala.RLPseeks toensure fundamentalhumanrights forallrefugeesand InternallyDisplacedPersons (IDPs) livingin Uganda, and is the only organization in Ugandaofferingfreelegalservicestoforcedmigrants.Inorderto further this mandate, RLP has adopted a unique,multi‐prongedapproach,workingthroughthreemain,

largely independent departments: research andadvocacy; legal aid and psychosocial support; andeducation and training. Kelly found the generalworking environmentof RLP tobeopen and friendly,and was pleased that, despite their busy schedule,fellow coworkers were very willing to share theirexperiences, knowledge, and tips for interacting withclients.

IHRIP2010REPORT 11

Intern:LudovicLanglois­Thérien Location:Yaoundé,Cameroon

Placement:CONGEH FacultySupervisor:FrédéricMégret

ResearchPaper: TheJusticiabilityofHousinginCameroon:FromArgumenttoPractice

*RecipientoftheNovak‐WeilAward

Ludovic headed to Yaounde, Cameroon to work withtheCoalitionofNon‐GovernmentalOrganisationsandCommunity‐BasedOrganisationsofCameroonworkingin the domain of Human Settlement (CONGEH). TheCONGEHisanetworkconsistingofabout50NGOsandCBOsinvolvedinthesectorofHumanSettlementanditsmissionistodesignandimplementaplanofactionfor autonomous and inclusive sustainabledevelopment. Most of the CONGEH’s memberorganizations’work relates togenderandAIDS issuesinrelationtotheurbanenvironment,and incidentallyto urban law. The CONGEH also acts as anintermediate between the community and thegovernmentregardingtheissueofforcedeviction.During the summer 2010, Ludovic was involved withseveral research projects dealing with topics such asurban planning and forced eviction. His firstassignment requiredhim to learnaboutCameroonianlawwithrespecttourbanplanningandaccesstolandin order to prepare a comprehensive guide for thecommunity. For the most part of his internship,however, Ludovic was involved in a project

commissioned by Habitat International Coalition thataimed to improve data collection on the state ofhousingrightsinCameroon.Hewasresponsiblefortheproduction of a report on housing rights, and hisresearch was mostly field‐based, including visits togovernmentdepartments,shantytownsandinterviewswithlocalstorecordtheirviewsaboutforcedeviction.Ludovic really enjoyed doing fieldwork as well as thefreedom he was given to conduct his research as hesaw fit, even though this required taking a lot ofinitiative.Ludovic notes that his internship experience was notlimited to his work at the CONGEH. While inCameroon,hewasabletoadjustquitewelltohisnewenvironment and developed friendships withcolleagues, fellow interns, local and internationalprofessors, and community members during thecourseof his internship. Theseencounters formedanintegralpartofhisexperience.

WhenKelly first arrivedatRLP,herwork consisted inhelping organize RLP’s Annual Sex and Gender‐BasedViolence/Persecution (SGBV/P) Week. This includedparticipating in a full‐day workshop on SGBV/P withrefugeeyouthfromanumberofrefugeecommunities.AfterSGBV/PWeekwounddown,Kellywastrainedonclient intake, and her day‐to‐day activities mainlyconsisted of assessing the needs of RLP’s clients(refugeesandasylumseekersfromDRCongo,Rwanda,Burundi, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea),opening files on their behalf, taking their detailedtestimonies, and referring them to partnerorganizations to facilitate their access to essentialservices. Inaddition,Kellywasassigned to theAccesstoJusticeProgram,whereshehelpedthelegalofficersfollowupanumberofcasesattheKampalapoliceandwith other Ugandan authorities as necessary. Forexample, sheworkedwith the legal officers to followup one case of suspected child trafficking, a caseinvolving a fraudulent adoption, and another caseinvolvingachildwhowasseriouslyinjuredafterbeinghitbyatruck.

Kelly’s overall experience with RLP was extremelypositive, both personally and professionally. Shelearneda greatdeal about refugee law, andacquiredskills for interactingwith clients in situations of crisisand for cross‐cultural communication. A highlight ofher internshipwithRLPwasa two‐week fieldmissionto Kyangwali refugee settlement inWestern Uganda.There, she participated in information sessions withrefugeecommunitiesandmeetingswithimplementingpartners of the UNHCR. Shewas also responsible forfocus group discussions with unaccompanied minors,inordertoevaluatetheservicesofferedtotheminthesettlement(e.g.foodsupply,scholasticmaterials),theavailability and adequacy of foster parents, and thefollow‐up carried out by settlement authorities as totheir well‐being. Having worked primarily withrefugees living in Kampala, this trip allowed her tounderstand the different legal issues facing camp‐settledrefugees.

FacultyofLawDay,Chancellor,Hall,3644PeelStreetMontreal,QuebecH3A1W9Tel.:514‐398‐6666|Fax:514‐398‐4659

CentreforHumanRightsandLegalPluralismDay,Chancellor,Hall,3644PeelStreetMontreal,QuebecH3A1W9Tel.:514‐398‐3577|Fax:514‐398‐7145