On Human Rights

In this second episode we are joined by Carol Rask and Alvaro Amaya, our partners from the Danish Institute for Human Rights. In the Defend-Bio project, they focus on the work package 6 analyzing the citizen-generated data and legal empowerment, starting from the co-development of legal empowerment tool to capacity building and data collection, data analysis and finally, data-driven policy influencing.

Today, we are joined by Rohullah Esmati, a lawyer and expert in humanitarian and development affairs. His expertise spans the rule of law, local governance, decentralization, human rights advocacy, institutional reform or even human rights-based approach to sustainable development. Beyond consultancy roles, Esmati has managed programs focused on peacebuilding and governance.

Mohammad Mustafa Raheal is a dedicated activist and researcher specializing in human rights and social development. He holds a Master's degree in International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action, achieved through the prestigious Chevening Scholarship and currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Humanities and Social Policy department at the University of Bath under a British Council Scholarship. His research focuses on urban-rural disparities and their impact on sustainable peace and human rights in Afghanistan. With over seven years of experience in international development and humanitarian work, Mustafa has held key leadership roles with organizations such as the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) at the Swedish Embassy in Kabul, the Civil Peace Service Program of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Migration for Development Program of the International Psychosocial Organization (IPSO). His expertise includes program development, risk assessment, multi-agency collaboration, refugee resettlement, and conducting research on equitable aid distribution and sustainable peacebuilding. Mustafa served as a Research Consultant with the University of Bath's Centre for Development Studies (CDS), focusing on fostering equitable partnerships in academic research and currently a Quantitative Researcher with University College London's Institute of Education (IOE), Department of Education and Society, contributing to critical studies on refugee integration in England. Through the RWI Fellowship, Mustafa will examine horizontal inequalities in aid distribution in Afghanistan, aiming to highlight systemic challenges. As a passionate advocate and researcher, Mustafa combines his professional and academic expertise to support marginalized communities and contribute to sustainable development.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Elisabeth Bürgi and Dr Judith Schäli, our two partners from the Centre for Development and Environment of the University of Bern and working on the Defend-Bio work package 3, focusing on the role of biosphere defenders advancing nature solutions for nature stewardship and the connections of these initiatives with transnational supply chains and regulation concerning the financial sector.

In this episode of On Human Rights, we speak with Yalda Bari, a human rights advocate and expert in women's economic empowerment from Afghanistan. Yalda holds a Master's in International Economics from the Berlin School of Economics and Law and brings over seven years of experience with organisations such as GIZ, ILO, and USAID, where she worked to support Afghan women's access to the job market and build women-led businesses. She is also the founder of Bari Search Path, a company dedicated to empowering Afghan women through employment support and training. As a fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Yalda is conducting research on the challenges faced by women-led businesses inside Afghanistan under the current political regime. Her work aims to document women's on-the-ground experiences and develop policy recommendations that can sustain and expand opportunities for financial independence in a deeply restrictive environment. “Businesses [are] an area of hope... they can still do activities from home. We need to address the challenges they're facing and support them to make the best out of this little opportunity.” In this conversation, Yalda shares insights from her research, the resilience of Afghan women, and the importance of listening to voices that are often left out of international discussions.

Kaweh Kerami is a political scientist whose work bridges politics, (digital) media and human rights. He earned his PhD in Development Studies from SOAS University of London, where he investigated how power dynamics and competing interests shape political competition and cooperation in post-intervention Afghanistan (2001–2021). Drawing on comparative and narrative analyses, supported by extensive primary data and elite interviews, his research offers nuanced insights into political bargaining and (in)stability in conflict-affected contexts. As a Research Fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI), Kaweh examines how journalists use digital technologies to document human rights violations, focusing on challenges such as verification, security, and legal admissibility. His work also addresses the role of misinformation, including AI-driven disinformation, in shaping political discourse and media landscapes. Through these investigations, he aims to support international accountability efforts by developing secure, credible documentation methods and strengthening pathways for peace and justice. Kaweh taught at the American University in Kabul (2019–2021) and currently serves as a Master's thesis supervisor at SOAS University of London. He has worked as a journalist for the BBC World Service, covering politics, war, and women's rights, and most recently served as a specialist researcher for BBC Media Action on a U.S.-funded project examining media under Taliban rule. In his free time, he enjoys iPhone photography, capturing moments of beauty and reflection.

Hafizullah Saeedi is an independent researcher and a human rights defender. He holds a Master of Arts in Global Studies from Leipzig University, Germany. He obtained a double degree in International and Comparative Politics from American University of Central Asia and Bard College-NYC, for his undergraduate studies. Hafizullah has a background in human rights advocacy at the United Nations and European Union level. His area of research includes human rights, security and development studies, with a focus on minority issues, countering violent extremism, and humanitarian action. In the context of Afghanistan, he has written extensively on social movements, minorities and hate speech, as well as political participation of women and youth in national processes. He has previously worked with Minority Rights Group International, European Center for Minority Issues, and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development. In addition to his mother tongue Persian/Dari, he speaks English, Pashto, Russian and German languages.

In this episode, we're joined by Fatema D. Ahmadi, a proficient human rights advocate with over a decade of experience working on the frontlines of gender-based violence, human trafficking, and peace building in Afghanistan. Fatema's personal journey as a displaced person shaped her lifelong commitment to human rights and justice. Her work has been so incredibly impactful. She's done everything from developing national anti-trafficking frameworks to working with victims and survivors. She's been involved in grassroots action and high-level policy, and she's made such a positive difference. A former Fulbright Humphrey Fellow, Fatema reflects on how the fellowship equipped her with tools and global perspectives that she later applied directly in Afghanistan, especially during its peace process. Now though out of Afghanistan, she continues her work through a leading Afghan human rights organization, driving efforts for accountability and justice for victims of human rights abuses. During her time as a research fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Fatema is focusing on children's rights in Afghanistan, a topic often overlooked in policy debates. In this conversation, she discusses how generations of war, displacement, and oppression are affecting Afghan children today, and how evidence-based research can support change on both local and international levels. "We're thinking about them, we are researching about them, and we hope we can change their life, and advocating for their rights." Join us to hear Fatema's perspective on justice, advocacy, and why amplifying the voices of vulnerable communities is essential for building a better future.

Dr. Atal Ahmadzai has been a dedicated advocate for environmental security and human rights. He earned his degree from Kabul University before pursuing further studies at Mahidol University in Thailand. His professional career includes working with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), where he worked on human development initiatives in Afghanistan and co-authored the National Human Development Report for the country. Following this, Dr. Ahmadzai continued his education at Rutgers University, where he obtained a second master's degree and a Ph.D. in Global Affairs, focusing on Environmental and Human Security. Since 2015, he has held various academic roles, including adjunct instructor, post-doctoral scholar, and visiting professor. During his time as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, Dr. Ahmadzai examined the governance systems of armed non-state actors in South Asia. As a subject matter expert, he has also contributed to the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Dr. Ahmadzai's research and teaching interests center on the intersection of environment, development, and conflict. Currently, as a Visiting Assistant Professor, he teaches environmental courses at Colby College. His scholarly and non-scholarly works have been published in numerous academic journals and respected publications. At the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI), he examines the nexus between climate shocks and human rights in Afghanistan.

This podcast episode features a conversation sparked by a newly premiered 2025 film Rule Breakers, which follows Afghanistan's first all-girls robotics team and their journey to challenge societal norms and push boundaries. Rule Breakers is a story of determination, defying limitations, and carving out space in science and technology despite the odds. The Raoul Wallenberg Institute had the pleasure of organizing a conversation between our Afghanistan research Fellow Palwasha Mirbacha and Roya Mahboob, the robotics team's co-founder, to talk about the role of alternative learning spaces, the fight for accessible STEM education, and why amplifying the voices of Afghan women and girls matters now more than ever.

Mark Gibney is the Carol Belk Distinguished Professor of Humanities and Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and the Affiliate Professor at RWI. In this episode, Professor Gibney challenges us to rethink how countries are held accountable — not just within their borders, but on a global scale. We'll discuss his groundbreaking Political Terror Scale, which tracks government oppression in over 185 countries, and explore how a reimagined sense of responsibility could transform the way governments uphold justice and protect human rights. The episode is moderated by Daniella Fetko, a Communication Intern at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.

Ambassador Olof Skoog, since March 2024, has been the EU Special Representative for Human Rights. He is a Swedish diplomat with extensive experience represen­ting both Sweden and the European Union. Most recently he was EU Ambassador to the UN in New York. Last month, he was with us in Lund to deliver the 2024 annual Anna Lindh Lecture under the title “The Strategy of Human Rights”. The episode is moderated by Edwina Magnus, a Library Assistant at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute's Human Rights Library. Edwina is currently pursuing an LL.M in International Human Rights Law at Lund University and serves as President of The Association of Foreign Affairs (UPF) Lund.

Ambassador Olof Skoog, EU Special Representative for Human Rights, delivered the 2024 annual Anna Lindh Lecture on 19 November on the theme of “The Strategy of Human Rights.” This podcast episode is a live recording of the lecture as it was delivered at Lund University Hall.

Maliha Shirzay-Research Fellow, RWI Afghanistan Programme in 2024 is collaborating with other research fellows to support the mandate of the Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett on Human Rights in Afghanistan. More specifically, in this episode dedicated tshe shares insights from her research on investigating the rights of Afghan women, particularly focusing on education and empowerment. Maliha delves into the marginalized position of ethnic groups, specifically the Uzbek women in Afghanistan, and the obstacles encountered by Muslim women. Her research delves into the intricate nature of intersecting identities and the vulnerabilities experienced by these women.

Hamid A. Formuli is a human rights practitioner, former career diplomat and a Research Fellow with RWI's Afghanistan program in 2024. His tenure at the Afghan foreign service spans over 8 years, boasting an impactful career across various roles, starting from a consular associate, law and treaties officer to special aide to the deputy foreign minister for economic cooperation. Hamid previously served as the Head of the Human Rights Section of the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the UN in Geneva, and alternative permanent representative to the Human Rights Council during Afghanistan's first ever membership of the body and as an expert at its Bureau during Afghanistan's vice–presidency in 2020. Since 2022 Hamid Formuli has been a founding member and Senior Fellow at the Center for Dialogue and Progress – Geneva, where he leads activities on human rights monitoring and advocacy through research, legal analysis, and events organization. Academically, he holds a Bachelors in Law and Political Science from Kabul University and earned a Master (Summa Cum Laude) of International Studies from Seoul National University, South Korea, focusing on International Development Cooperation Policy and Global Governance. His research interests include nexus between conflict and development, International and UN-mandated accountability mechanisms, politics of international human rights action, and management of diversity in pluricultural societies.

Palwasha Mirbacha is a Research Fellow with RWI Afghanistan Programme in 2024. With over a decade of extensive experience, Palwasha Mirbacha has played a pivotal role in planning, designing, implementing, and monitoring education projects, collaborating with renowned international education institutions. As an expert in the field of education, she has successfully managed the execution of multi-sectoral, multi-million, and generational projects. Palwasha's background encompasses the management of both developmental and humanitarian education programs, with a profound understanding of the economics of education facilitated by education background coupled with her intensive engagement in robust research, writing, and analysis of the sector. She employs both qualitative and quantitative methods, underscored by the publication of multiple analytical works in the field. Furthermore, Palwasha's professional journey reflects a commitment to social entrepreneurship and community work in Afghanistan, evident in her instrumental role in establishing and sustaining a grassroots education initiative, the Boume Dana Foundation, focused on the publication and dissemination of indigenous and contextually relevant children's literature for Afghan children.

Humaira Rasuli is an Afghan human rights lawyer, women empowerment activist and the Co-Founder and Director of Women for Justice Organization in Afghanistan (WJO). She has been with RWI in 2024 as a Research Fellow with the Afghanistan Program. In 2018, Humaira Rasuli co-founded Woman for Justice Organization (WJO) to better safeguard women's rights by strengthening the state's institutional response and accountability to violence against women using legal strategies, pushing for law reform, training the emerging advocates and conducting peace advocacy. Humaira performed as a leading lawyer in investigating and trying some of the most high-profile sex-crime cases in Afghanistan.

Mitra Tanomand, Research Fellow with RWI Afghanistan Programme is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Global Development with a focus on Education in the UK. Her project is focusing on researching human rights issues in Afghanistan, focusing on girls' education and “Unveiling the post-2021 Realities within Women's Protection Shelters in Afghanistan: Navigating Challenges Amidst Socio-Political Shifts”.

Kobra Moradi is Research Fellow with RWI's Afghanistan Programme and in this episode is sharing insights from her research on Afghan communities access to information regarding the International Criminal Court investigation on the human rights violations in Afghanistan. Kobra Moradi is a lawyer with a focus on human rights and international law. She has previously worked on international criminal accountability at the Australian Centre for International Justice, Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization, UN Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials, and Clooney Foundation for Justice. Kobra is a law and international relations graduate. She also holds a Master's degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the Australian National University, where she wrote her research dissertation on victim-centered transitional justice and Islamic law.

Haroun Rahimi is an affiliate associate professor at UW School of Law. Concurrently, Rahimi is an Associate Professor of Law and the chair of the Law Department at the American University of Afghanistan. Rahimi is also a Global Academy Scholar at the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) and a Research Fellow at The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI). Rahimi's research focuses on economic laws, institutional reform, Islamic finance, Islamic law, and ethics.

Anna Bruce, Senior Researcher at RWI, shares insights from her participation in the review of Sweden by the CRPD Committee and her work on Sweden's current implementation of the CRPD. -Work in progress version of book chapter in Swedish: Bruce, A, Funktionsrättskonventionen: Fördragskonform tolkning i norm(dis)harmoni, Lind, A-S, Thorburn Stern, R. & Österdahl, I. (red.) (2024). Folkrätten i svensk rätt. Ett nytt decennium. Lund: Studentlitteratur : https://rwi.lu.se/pyramid-publications/funktionsrattskonventionen/ -Reports by the students in the Lund Disability Human Rights Clinic on Access to Justice: https://rwi.lu.se/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/From-comittment-to-reality_Acess-to-justice-in-Sweden-for-persons-with-disabilities.pdf -The recorded dialogue between the CRPD Committee and the Swedish delegation: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1d/k1df2kmul9 https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1v/k1vc0oy5na -Closing statement from the CRPD Committee after the dialogue between the CRPD Committee and the Swedish delegation: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=INT%2FCRPD%2FOCR%2FSWE%2F30th%2F36586&Lang=en -Concluding observation by the CRPD Committee after the dialogue between the CRPD Committee and the Swedish delegation: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRPD%2FC%2FSWE%2FCO%2F2-3&Lang=en

Ehsan Qaane was a Research Fellow for the Afghanistan Programme in 2023. Prior to this, he worked with Afghanistan Analysts Network, a policy researcher organisation, as a political and legal affairs researcher (2012-2022) and as the country director (2017-2020). He is a member of and adviser to several human rights networks in Afghanistan, including the Afghanistan Forensics Science Organisation (AFSO) and Transitional Justice Coordination Group (TJCG). He has published a vast amount of research on the conflict in Afghanistan, the International Criminal Court's engagement in Afghanistan, human rights and international humanitarian law. He worked as a visiting professional at the International Criminal Court.

David Cingranelli is a Professor of Political Science at Binghamton University of the State University of New York. He also is the Co-director of the Binghamton University Human Rights Institute. He has written widely on human rights, democracy, governance, and labor rights. He is a champion of the quantitative, scientific study of human rights. He is a former President of the Human Rights Section of the American Political Science Association. He, Skip Mark of the University of Rhode Island, and Mikhail Filippov of Binghamton University co-direct the “CIRIGHTS” data project, which is the most comprehensive and widely used human rights data set in the world. The 2023 Global Rights Report uses those data to show that worker rights are among the least protected of all internationally recognized human rights. You can see David discussing on producing indicators of national human rights practices: https://youtu.be/20QAIi1BVI4 And argue that we need national human rights report cards: https://academicminute.org/2023/05/david-cingranelli-binghamton-university-the-need-for-national-human-rights-report-cards/ More on CIRIGHTS: https://web.uri.edu/artsci/wp-content/uploads/sites/1132/2023-Human-Rights-report-PDF-Final.pdf

Mr. Vishal Prasad is the Campaign Director of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, a youth-led organization campaigning for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on climate change and human rights. He is from Suva, Fiji, and has studied international politics and law at the University of the South Pacific. He has been part of the ICJ advisory opinion movement since 2019 and is also part of the global ICJ advisory opinion movement under the World's Youth for Climate Justice. As part of the ICJ advisory opinion campaign, he has a strong focus on securing the Pacific youth demands on the protection of the rights of current and future generations from the adverse effects of climate change.

She is a Pakistani activist, entrepreneur, writer, and disability rights advocate, known for her efforts to promote inclusivity and equality for people with disabilities in Pakistan. Tanzila Khan has been actively involved in raising awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and working towards creating a more accessible and inclusive society. She has also gained recognition for her writing, using her platform to address social issues and advocate for positive change. She founded Girlythings.pk for menstrual kits in Pakistan. At 16, she wrote 'A Story of Mexico,' funding community projects. Through Creative Alley and "Iwish," she supports SDGs. Recognized with awards, she made the film "FruitChaat" and launched "Brain Masala," Pakistan's first accessible podcast. In May 2022, she won the Amal Clooney Women's Empowerment Award in London.

Hanifa Girowal was a young female politician, and human rights advocate who served as Kabul's deputy governor on socio-economic and development affairs, managing development and funding projects, mitigating conflicts, and providing essential services to Kabul residents. Previously, she worked with the Afghanistan Independent human rights commission (AIHRC), where she contributed to creating the independent human rights and gender units in Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). She published the first report on the situation of Afghan women in ANDSF, bringing a dramatic change in the situation of women serving in the police, intelligence, and armed forces, from a rise in their pay to help them get access to professional development programs that qualified them to obtain leadership positions. Hanifa is also a managing partner and senior advisor to Alpha Afghanistan, a non-profit organization that is working to help young Afghan innovators and social thinkers to turn their ideas into actions to foster social change in the country through technology. Girowal holds a master's degree in public international law from Brunel University London, which she acquired through Chevening Scholarship. Hanifa has also served as a trainer on Women's leadership, Good Governance, and Sustainable development goals with the United Nations Institute for training and research (UNITAR).”

Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima is Leader of the Human Rights and the Environment thematic area and senior researcher at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. Her work unites legal analysis and sustainability science for examining environmental and human rights governance challenges and innovative levers to address them. She has bridged the human rights and biodiversity “communities of practice” through leading research such in the Biodiversa project on safeguarding ecosystems and human rights through law and regulation. Read more here: https://rwi.lu.se/human-rights-and-the-environment-2/

Matthew Scott is senior researcher and leader of the Human Rights and the Environment thematic area at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. He is also adjunct senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law at Lund University. His work focuses on integrating social science perspectives with international legal standards to promote context-sensitive, human rights-based law, policy and practice relating to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. His primary area of expertise concerns migration and displacement in the context of disasters and climate change, on which he has published a monograph entitled Climate Change, Disasters and the Refugee Convention (CUP 2020), an edited volume entitled Climate Change, Disasters and Internal Displacement in Asia and the Pacific: A Human Rights-Based Approach (Routledge 2021) and a range of book chapters and academic articles. Current research interests concern the role of local authorities in addressing climate- and disaster-related migration and displacement. Read more on RWI s work on climate change adaptation here: https://rwi.lu.se/human-rights-and-the-environment-2/

Hanifa Girowal, Research Fellow to the RWI Afghanistan Programme reflects on working with human rights at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission as well as serving as Deputy Governor on socioeconomic affairs in Kabul. Her research, which focuses on human rights violations in her country, along with her upcoming publications, provide context and nuance to our understanding of the fight for women´s rights in Afghanistan.

Mahmouda Sonia Eqbal is a Research Fellow at RWI Afghanistan Programme shares insights on her latest research report titled "Afghan constitutions and the placement of education." shedding light to women and girl´s education in Afghanistan.

In this podcast we talk with a human rights activist within the Women! Life! Freedom! movement about Narges Mohammadi and her lifelong work. She is the Iranian human rights activist that received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 on Sunday 12 of September, for her lifelong work and activism on human rights and Women's rights in Iran. Most of her adult life Narges has been politically active- from publishing a book of political essays and joining the Defenders of Human Rights Center to being arrested multiple times for her criticisms of the Iranian government, her open support of feminist civil disobedience and the abolition of the death penalty in her country. Currently she is the vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), headed by her fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Shirin Ebadi. A month ago, in October 2023, while still in prison and despite the condemnation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Narges was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”. Yet, her work doesn't not stop even if she is in prison. Since November 2021 and during the Mahsa Amini protests in 2022, Narges has published multiple reports on the life conditions in Evin Prison and the human rights breaches that solitary confinement imposes. Her latest book “White Torture” centred around solitary confinement, has been translated to German, titled “Women! Life! Freedom!” and published this year.

Ms. Evelyn Adzovi Addor is a Climate Youth Negotiators Programme-trained Loss and Damage Negotiator for Ghana and the African Group of Negotiators. She is a development communications professional and the communications lead at EcoCare Ghana, a right-based natural resources and environmental advocacy non-governmental organisation in Ghana. Evelyn is passionate about designing campaigns to increase climate change awareness and influencing climate policy at the local, national and international levels. She is also a trained Climate Reality leader, and a member of the African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), Forest Watch Ghana and the Youth in Natural Resources and Environmental Governance Platform. Through her work, Evelyn develops and implements stakeholder engagement strategies to safeguard the rights of people living in forest-fringed and vulnerable local communities in Ghana. As part of EcoCare Ghana's Cocoa Governance and Advocacy Project, she works on protecting the lands rights of Migrant Cocoa Farmers in the Wassa Amenfi East District of Ghana, securing Tree Tenure Rights for farmers and Living Income for Cocoa Farmers in Ghana. As a member of FEMNET, Evelyn works in solidarity with other women across the continent to promote the voices of African Women in Climate Change at the local, national and international levels. She has been active in the youth climate space in Ghana, enhancing youth voices and has been instrumental in youth-led campaigns in Ghana such as the Anti-Coal Campaign, Renewable Energy for Communities, Climate Strikes, and Save Atewa Forest Campaign among others

Neshan's professional experience includes engagements with Government, non-government, bilateral and multilateral sectors and was a former member of the international civil service. Neshan Gunasekera has a background in international law, human rights, international relations, programme and project management and has worked to promote environmental considerations within the humanitarian-peace-development nexus. He has served as visiting faculty and examiner at several tertiary educational institutions, teaching public international law, human rights law, and humanitarian law. He holds a master's in international Relations with a focus on Sustainable Development and has completed specialized trainings in various areas including on peacebuilding, conflict transformation and environmental governance. He has supported several clinical legal education initiatives, including moot courts. In 2020, he was recognized for his continuous work over decades for Justice, Peace, and Sustainable Development, especially in South Asia and Sri Lanka, through his engagements with various global, regional and national institutions by being awarded the H.E. Judge C.G. Weeramantry International Justice Award. His interests are in furthering principles of international law and environmental law, including specifically the principles of intergenerational equity and Earth trusteeship through educational initiatives to safeguard the integrity of our Earth system. Neshan is married to Bridgette and they have a son, Aryesh Kael.

Mohammad Abul Ahrar Ramizpoor is an Afghan academic, Peace and Human Rights activist who has served as a lecturer at Kabul University, Sharia and Law faculties, where he completed his BA studies in Islamic Jurisprudence and Law in 1990. He is currently an Afghan Research Fellow at RWI. Mr. Ramizpoor is a council member of the Pugwash Conferences organization, the Afghanistan Human Rights Defenders' Committee, and the Afghanistan Human Rights Coordination Mechanism. He has been closely engaged in his collaborations with several national, regional, and global organizations on promoting peace, human rights, and analytical thoughts on Islamic Law, Human Rights, free society values, peace, and the market economy. Since July 2007 to 31 March 2022, Ramizpoor has served as a Human Rights officer at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), actively engaging with Afghan civil society groups, human rights defenders, media, and peace activists.

With firsthand professional experience both as a delegate at international forums representing her homeland and in the classroom, Prof. Romero brings a unique perspective to the Maritime Law and Policy Specialisation. She lectures on International Organisations and Maritime Conventions, the Law of the Sea, and the Protection of the Marine Environment and oversees these courses. In addition, she organises the annual Moot Court Competition, which focuses on current issues of the Law of the Sea, along with a field study trip to The Hague and Hamburg. She has also received an invitation to lecture at the IFLOS Summer Academy, hosted at ITLOS in Hamburg, Germany.

Alyn Ware is a peace educator and nuclear disarmament consultant from New Zealand. In 2009, he received the Right Livelihood Award for his vast efforts to promote peace education and disarmament. The Right Livelihood Award, also known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” is an international award given annually to honor individuals, organizations, and movements that have made significant contributions to the promotion of social justice, sustainable development, and environmental protection.

Jules Han Amm is a PhD candidate at Uppsala University with most of their work focusing on the trans community and its internal disputes as well as legal frameworks of informed consent, self-determination, and trans healthcare access. Jules acquired a Bachelor's in development studies and Master's in Gender Studies from Lund University. In this episode, they talk with Zoi Savvidou about recent developments on trans rights, the pathologisation of the trans identity and the interconnectedness of LGBTQIA+ rights with human rights.

Marthe is a Cameroonian human rights, gender and peace activist. Since the 1990s, she has worked to prevent and fight sexual violence against children. She founded her organization ALDEPA in 1998, where she supports the well-being of girls through education, bro-bono legal assistance and psychosocial care. In 2019 she was awarded the Right livelihood award for her work in defending the rights of local communities affected by the exploitation of natural resources in Cameroon.

Morten Koch Andersen, expert on human rights and corruption explains

Richard Bennett - Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan. by The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the 16 Days Campaign against SGBV, we met with Tyson Nicholas and Julia Dalman to discuss the issue of Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). Tyson Nicholas is currently the Staff Officer Gender, Peace and Security in the Royal Australian Navy. He has previously served as the Military Expert on Investigations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the UN Department of Peace Operations and will soon commence another period of seconded service as the Strategic Military Advisor within UN Women. He graduated from the LLM in International Human Rights Law at Lund University in 2019. (www.linkedin.com/in/tyson-nicholas-898b00153) Julia Dalman is a legal analyst at the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM). She graduated from the International Human Rights LLM at Lund University in 2021. ( www.linkedin.com/in/julia-dalman-846b16146) Our conversation is to be released in a two-parts podcast series. This is the second episode.

On the occasion of this auspicious day, we met with Tyson Nicholas and Julia Dalman to discuss the issue of Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). Tyson Nicholas is currently the Staff Officer Gender, Peace and Security in the Royal Australian Navy. He has previously served as the Military Expert on Investigations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the UN Department of Peace Operations and will soon commence another period of seconded service as the Strategic Military Advisor within UN Women. He graduated from the LLM in International Human Rights Law at Lund University in 2019. (www.linkedin.com/in/tyson-nicholas-898b00153) Julia Dalman is a legal analyst at the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM). She graduated from the International Human Rights LLM at Lund University in 2021. ( www.linkedin.com/in/julia-dalman-846b16146) Our conversation is to be released in a two-parts podcast series. In the first episode (released on the 25th of November 2022), Julia and Tyson offered an introduction to CRSV. After defining CRSV and explaining how it differs from Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), the discussion moved on to the significance of the association of CRSV with the terms ‘tactic of warfare'. Following, Julia and Tyson talked through the different paths for prosecution at both national and international level

Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days. Most of us do not reflect much about what it does. Nevertheless, it is a part of our lives. We do get a lot of help from AI systems and the benefits are many. AI is fast, accurate, has a low cost and works around the clock. Artificial intelligence is a part of our infrastructure and helps with a vast number of things such as administration of justice (it assists in court with bail or pre-trial detention, sentencing), law enforcement (‘predictive policing'), healthcare (health risk, prevention, cures, cutting-edge research), and education (admissions to schools and universities, personalised education, feedback and engagement). It assists social security and social welfare (detecting fraud, checking entitlements and criteria for qualification), environment (systems for agriculture, irrigation, climate change challenges) and smart cities (waste management, mobility, traffic, air and water quality, safety and security of public places). (Sue Anne TEO, PhD Fellow, Center for Comparative European and Comparative Legal, Studies (CECS), Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen.) “As a sociotechnical system, AI is embedded within society. Values and worldviews are baked into the design and development of emerging technologies. In turn, these values are reflected in technological tools that we use. There are consequences for society, such as discrimination”, says Sue Anne Teo, who looks into the challenges posed by AI systems to the foundations of human rights. She undertakes her research using a meta-theoretical framework, looking at threats to human rights foundations from conceptual, contextual (social and material existence conditions) and normative aspects. AI can have negative implications on human rights and concerns should be acknowledged. In this podcast, we talk to Sue Anne Teo about what AI is, how we usually define AI and what the benefits of AI are. We also talk about ethical challenges vis-à-vis AI and human rights. Sue Anne Teo highlights the importance of ethics, the prevention of AI-caused negative impacts on human rights, and explores actions policymakers and legislators are taking.

The right to housing is a human right that is critical to a person's health, dignity, safety, inclusion and contribution to their community. According to the UN Special Rapporteur, courts must protect both negative and positive housing rights guaranteed by these international instruments. In this podcast you will access insight from the global director of the Shift, Leilani Farha, a UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing.

In our latest episode of “On Human Rights” we spoke with Virginia Dignum, a professor in social and ethical AI at Umeå University in Sweden.  We discussed the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence and its connection with human rights.  In this interview, we cover a range of topics relevant to AI and human rights, from AI itself, misconceptions, and current developments. We discussed areas of interest where AI is affecting human rights, as well as potential problems and friction that may emerge as AI becomes ever-more relevant to the ways our society functions.  Professor Dignum is the Wallenberg Chair on Responsible Artificial Intelligence a Scientific Director of WASP-HS (Humanities and Society). Her research is focused on the overlap between people, organizations, and technology. She is also associated with the faculty of Technology Policy and Management at Delft University of Technology.

When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 1996, Farima Nawabi was a high school student. Suddenly, she was asked to stay home for five years. Her house turned into a prison for her sisters and her. “The prison of our dreams, goals and hopes for a free and independent life. Our only crime was being women in Afghanistan.” Under the Taliban rule, Farima was not allowed to school. Her life felt like a living hell. “I was mentally exhausted and hopeless for five years in a row. The shock of losing my education was brutal. I could no longer see the future I had imagined for myself. Even many years later I felt the effects of the Taliban school ban on my life.” On 23 March Taliban's again put a ban on girls' education in Afghanistan. Listen to this podcast with Farima Nawabi, a former diplomat who worked at the Afghan Embassy in Stockholm until the Taliban takeover. She is currently holding an Afghan Fellowship from Sida as is based at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Lund during 2022. Her research focus is women's rights in Afghanistan. Stay tuned for more podcasts with Farima!

Anchinesh Shiferaw spent some time at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute's head office in Lund as a visiting scholar. In this wide-ranging interview, we cover everything from her academic journey to her exciting research in the area of women's land rights in Ethiopia.

A recording of April 26 webinar, the first session of RWI webinar series on The Forthcoming EU’s Directive On Human Rights Due Diligence. This event focused on Where does it come from? What may it lead to? What are the limits of due diligence as a tool to protect human rights in global supply chain? Enjoy listening! More info on our website.

Webcast; listen to the webinar on Poverty, Human Rights and the SDGs - How to Address Post-Pandemic Poverty

Campaining Against Racism in Sweden: Interview with Isatou Aysha Jones by The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Sweden is usually not the first country that comes to mind when one thinks of racism or racial discrimination. Yet, as in the United States and many European countries, it has been part of its history and it is still an issue today. We sat down with Paul Lappalainen, American lawyer and member of the European Network of experts in gender equality and non-discrimination to discuss the Swedish legal framework and how it could be used by anti-discrimination organisations and civil society to become an effective drive for change.