On today's episode of Justice Matters, co-host Mathias Risse speaks with Yuval Shany, fellow at the Ethics in AI Institute at the University of Oxford. They discuss his recent white paper, “The Need for and Feasibility of an International AI Bill of Human Rights,” and the topics it touches on around AI’s profound impact on the understanding and implementation of rights.

White Paper: The Need for and Feasibility of an International AI Bill of Human Rights By Professor Yuval Shany

On today's episode of Justice Matters, co-host Mathias Risse speaks with Dr. Kelsey Leonard, a water scientist and legal scholar from the Shinnecock Indian Nation. They discuss the fundamental role of water in life, ecosystems, and human rights, particularly focusing on Indigenous perspectives on water justice. 

Dr. Kelsey Leonard is a water scientist, legal scholar, policy expert, writer, and enrolled citizen of the Shinnecock Nation. Her work focuses on Indigenous water justice and its climatic, territorial, and governance underpinnings for our shared sustainable future. Dr. Leonard represents the Shinnecock Nation on the Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean, which is charged with protecting America's ocean ecosystems and coastlines. She also serves as a member of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission. Dr. Leonard has been instrumental in safeguarding the interests of Indigenous Nations for environmental planning, and builds Indigenous science and knowledge into new solutions for sustainable water and ocean governance.

On today’s episode they discuss: water as an essential part of life, the Shinnecock Indian Nation, Indigenous led water justice movements, current challenges facing water defenders, how a human rights frameworks can be applied to water protection, Indigenous knowledge as integral for effective water management, the Great Lakes and indigenous governance, and Dr. Leonard’s current research.

On today's episode of Justice Matters, co-host Maggie Gates speaks with Judith Abitan, international human rights advocate and the executive director of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, about her work in fighting for the freedom of political prisoners in entrenched systems of oppression.

Judith has been at the forefront of some of the most pressing human rights issues of our time, immersed in the pursuit of justice internationally, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the betterment of the human condition. She has made representations to international bodies and governments in relation to the rescue and resettlement of some of the most vulnerable and at-risk populations, political prisoner cases, and asylum seeker applications. Judith’s advocacy work has encompassed, inter alia, the case and cause of Biram Dah Abeid, leader of the international anti-slavery movement and president of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement in Mauritania; Dawit Isaak, dual Eritrean-Swedish citizen known to be, with his colleagues, the longest detained journalists in the world; and a series of Burundian journalists and human rights defenders convicted on trumped-up charges for criticizing the government. Judith has also written for major publications including the National Post, the Globe and Mail, the Times of Israel, the Washington Post, and Time.

On today’s episode they discuss: how Judith came to be involved in such a wide range of geopolitical contexts, the case of journalist Dawit Isaak who has been detained since 2001 in an Eritrean prison and what it says about the state of press freedom globally, what levers of accountability are most effective in working for release of political prisoners, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s imprisonment of Dr. Ahmadreza Jalal, the issue of modern slavery and why it persists despite international law, the balance of moral urgency and pragmatic strategy in human rights work, and Judith’s personal reflections on cultivating resilience in an increasingly restrictive world.

On today's episode of Justice Matters, co-host Mathias Risse speaks with Lobsang Sangay - political leader of the Tibetan administration in exile from 2011 to 2021 - about Tibet’s future. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama turned 90 earlier this year, which has brought renewed attention to the question of how the succession would be handled in the country that has been occupied by China since 1950.

Lobsang Sangay is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the East Asian Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School. He was the democratically elected Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration and served two terms (2011-21). He completed his BA and LLB from Delhi University and did his LLM ’95 and SJD ‘04 from Harvard Law School where he received the Yong K. Kim’ 95 Memorial Prize for excellence. He has spoken at international conferences such as Forum 2000, Halifax Security Forum, and Oxford Union and has written numerous Op-eds in major newspapers including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and appeared on many international TV networks like BBC and CNN. He was awarded the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse by Trinity College, Dublin (2014) and the Salisbury University Presidential Medal for Distinguished Community Leadership (2015).

On today’s episode they discuss: why China occupied Tibet in 1950, the role of rare earth minerals in the occupation, what occupation and exile has meant for Tibetans, the role of the Dalai Lama and the naming of his successor, how reincarnation comes into play in finding the next Dalai Lama, China’s attempt to seize control of the process, Lobsang’s own role in the Tibetan government in exile in India, the interplay between the diaspora and those remaining in Tibet, the relationship between the exiled Tibetan government and the government of India, and the Dalai Lama’s aspiration towards a middle path for negotiations with China.

On today’s episode of Justice Matters, host Phuong Pham - associate professor at the Harvard Medical School, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, affiliated faculty member of the Carr-Ryan Center, and co-principal investigator at the Transitional Justice Evaluation Team (TJET) - speaks with Lisa Chung Binder, Siraj Khan, and Jerome Marston about attacks on education around the world.

Lisa Chung Binder is the executive director of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack. She has worked for the UN and the international NGOs in children’s rights and humanitarian response.

Siraj Khan is the law and policy manager at the Education Above All Foundation. He is an international lawyer and was formerly a fellow at the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law.

Jerome Marston is the head of research at KoboToolBox–a data collection, management, and visualization platform used globally for research and social good–where he oversees surveys and research projects about human rights, humanitarian response, and the protection of civilians.

Together they discuss: why attacks on education are occurring, the impact on victims and survivors of these attacks, the frequency and geographic location of these attacks, what factors contribute to the increase in these attacks, what international enforcement mechanisms exist and are they meeting the problem, what other initiatives are taking place to confront this issue, what are the legal resources in this area, accountability, the response from educators, what does justice look like for victims, concrete ways to make schools more safe, and what resources can provide more information on this topic.

On today’s episode of Justice Matters, we’re marking Human Rights Day, observed every year on December 10th to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in 1948. To mark the occasion Co-host Mathias Risse speaks with four of our Human Rights and U.S. Foreign Policy Fellows to share their perspectives on why human rights still matter and why they may be more important now than at any point in the 77 years since the Declaration was adopted.

Together they discuss: what Human Rights Day means in our current moment globally, the most pressing human rights issues today, misinformation and state repression, whether the international system can constrain abusive states, the state of global legal structures and local grassroots movements, designing a human rights system to meet our present challenges, the impact of the Trump administration globally, what advice they have for young people entering the field today, and a lighting round of questions including their recommendations for articles and books they think everyone should read.

Today’s guests include:

Desirée Cormier Smith, a seasoned U.S. diplomat and former Foreign Service Officer who served as the inaugural Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice at the State Department, leading global efforts to advance racial, ethnic, and Indigenous rights in foreign-policy contexts.

Maggie Dougherty, former Senior Director for International Organizations at the White House National Security Council, where she coordinated U.S. engagement with the UN and other multilateral institutions on human rights, democracy, and global governance. She has also served as a policy advisor to both UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Senator Marco Rubio.

Kelly Fay Rodríguez, previously the U.S. Special Representative for International Labor Affairs, working to embed labor rights, supply-chain accountability, and inclusive economic justice into American foreign-policy and trade frameworks.

And Jessica Stern, the first, and thus far only, U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, who led the State Department’s diplomatic efforts to protect and promote LGBTQI+ rights around the world.

On today’s episode of Justice Matters, co-host Mathias Risse speaks with Robin Bronen, co-founder of the Alaska Institute for Justice (AIJ) about the pressing effects of climate change on communities in Alaska - the fastest warming region in the United States - and the implications for human rights. 

A human rights attorney and interdisciplinary social scientist on the issue of climate-forced displacement, Robin Bronen retired from AIJ in 2024 after 19 years as co-founder and Executive Director. Established in 2005, AIJ originally sought to serve an unmet need for legal services for immigrant individuals and families in Alaska and now serves over 7,000 clients living in Alaska from countries around the world. Since the time of the organization’s founding, AIJ expanded to launch the Alaska Climate Justice Program that works with Alaska Native communities on climate adaptation and resilience, including assisting clients and communities as they advocate for state and national policy-level changes. Bronen has worked with the White House Council on Environmental Quality to implement President Obama’s Climate Change Task Force recommendation to address climate displacement as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Climate Change Office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation awarded AIJ the 2012 FBI Director’s Community Service award for its work with human trafficking victims, and the International Soroptimist’s awarded Bronen the 2012 Advancing the Rights of Women award. Bronen was named one of USA Today’s Women of the Year.

On this episode they discuss: the recent increase in climate effects on Alaskan communities, Robin’s background that led her to co-founding AIJ, an overview of the immigrant and refugee communities that are a central part of Alaska, how she and her team managed to sustain the non-profit over multiple decades, why translation services are crucial to opening access to public services, Robin’s research on forced climate relocation that led AIJ to expand its focus to the impacts of the climate crisis, the status and make up of Native Alaskan communities, how has the connection between human rights and climate change became central to AIJ’s work, how the institute fairing under the current Trump administration, what actions individuals and communities can take to protect themselves, and why climate forced relocation is the most intense human rights challenge related to the climate crisis.

On today's episode of Justice Matters, co-host Maggie Gates speaks with Antonio Ingram II, Senior Counsel at the Legal Defense Fund, about the impact of anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) legislation on educational equity and political participation.

Antonio Ingram II serves as lead counsel in the Simon v. Ivey lawsuit challenging Alabama's SB 129 law that prevents state agencies, local boards of education, and institutions of higher education from sponsoring DEI programs or offices. He served as part of the litigation team in South Carolina NAACP v. Alexander, a federal lawsuit challenging South Carolina's racially discriminatory congressional and state house legislative map. Ingram co-authored a US Supreme Court amicus brief in 303 Creative v. Ellenis, where he opposed intersectional anti-black and anti-LGBTQIA + public accommodations discrimination. In addition to his litigation work, he has successfully engaged in policy advocacy and spearheaded campaigns at the state and national level to oppose legislation banning critical race theory and DEI.

On today’s episode they discuss: his work on advancing racial justice and educational equity, his involvement in significant legal cases challenging discriminatory laws and practices, the impact of anti-DEI legislation - particularly Alabama's SB 129 - and its broader implications on educational and societal equity, his personal insights on the importance of maintaining open pipelines for marginalized communities, and the role of local and state advocacy in combating these legislative challenges.

On today's episode of Justice Matters, co-host Mathias Risse speaks with Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji who served as president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 2018-2021. Together they discuss his new book, “End of Immunity: Holding World Leaders Accountable for Aggression, Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity.” 

Prior to joining the ICC in 2012, Judge Eboe-Osuji was the Legal Advisor to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, during which time he anchored the High Commissioner's interventions in cases involving human rights questions. Before joining the international public service, he practiced law as a barrister in Canada (his adoptive country) and Nigeria (his birth country). He taught international criminal law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa and has an extensive record of legal scholarship and publications, including the books International Law and Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts (2013), and Protecting Humanity (2010). He is a former fellow at the Carr Ryan Center for Human Rights at the Harvard Kennedy School.

On today’s episode they discuss: his journey that led him to becoming president of the ICC, why he felt it was important to write a book about the history of immunity for heads of state, his thoughts on the 2024 US Supreme Court ruling to grant immunity to US presidents, looking to the kings and emperors of the past to understand why we built international systems ending immunity, how we could enact an international law that upholds an actionable “right to peace”, and his view on Trump’s desire to annex of Canada.

On today's episode of Justice Matters, co-host Timothy Patrick McCarthy speaks with Dr. Leo Varadkar, the former Taoiseach, or Prime Minister, of Ireland from 2017-2020 and again from 2022-2024. Together they discuss a range of topics on contemporary human rights and global democracy on the occasion of Dr. Varadkar’s new memoir, “Speaking My Mind”.

Leo Varadkar grew up in Dublin, the son of an Irish mother and an Indian father. He studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin, but practiced as a doctor for just a short time before becoming a full-time politician after election to Dáil Éireann (the Irish parliament) in 2007. He became a cabinet minister in 2011 and in 2017, at the age of 38, he became Taoiseach, the youngest ever to serve in the office. A first of many in the role, he was the first gay Taoiseach as well the first person of color. Dr. Varadkar received international recognition for his leadership of Ireland’s public health and economic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. He led Ireland through Brexit, preventing a hard border between North and South, maintaining Ireland's place at the heart of the European Union, its single market and upholding the Good Friday Agreement. The Governments he participated in lifted Ireland’s ban on abortion and improved LGBT rights including the introduction of marriage equality and a gender recognition law. He also prioritized equality between men and women including gender pay gap reporting, greater diversity on state and corporate boards and linking state funding for political parties to election candidate quotas. He is currently a Hauser Leader at the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School as well as a Senior Fellow at the Global LGBTQI + Human Rights Program at the Carr Ryan Center for Human Rights.

On today’s episode they discuss: what are some of the greatest challenges to global human rights today, Dr. Varadkar’s childhood that led him to his career in politics, how the Irish political system compares to the structures in the United States, the trust and personal relationships at the center of keeping together a coalition government, the challenges and burdens of being a “first” as Taoiseach, his experience coming out as gay in office and navigating that politically, the storytelling at the heart of the campaign to pass the referendum on marriage equality , where the passage of marriage equality in a catholic country sits globally in LGBTQI, coming from a center-right party in Ireland and presiding over many progressive changes, his view on the strategic tension between incrementalism and sweeping change, how his medical practice influenced his governance, Ireland’s history as a post-colonial nation and its current connection to oppressed peoples around the world, his thoughts on solidarity, Irish reunification, and why he named his new memoir "Speaking My Mind".