Refugee Law Moot Court Competition

University of Dhaka becomes champion 

 The University of Dhaka has bagged the Championship Trophy in the First ELCOP Refugee Law Moot Court Competition held in Dhaka on 28-29 December 2012. 

It was organized by Empowerment through Law of the Common People (ELCOP). 

The competition was participated by nine Law Schools from Bangladesh. The University of Dhaka topped the list defeating BRAC University in the final. 

The participating universities are: the University of Dhaka, University of Chittagong, University of Rajshahi, Jagannath University, BRAC University, Northern University Bangladesh, Southeast University, Eastern University and Daffodil International University.  

The theme of the competition was International Refugee Law. 

The panel of judges included Professor M. Shah Alam, Chairman (Acting), Law Commission, Mr. Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Hossain, Professor M. Rafiqul Islam of Macquarie University, Retired Judge AKM Zaheer Ahmed, Professor Sumaiya Khair of the University of Dhaka, and Ms. Fahmida Karim of UNHCR. 

Md. Shariful Haque of the University of Chittagong became the Best Mooter. The same University also bagged the Best Memorial Trophy. Jagannath University was adjudged with the "Best Rebellious Lawyer" trophy.

Source: ELCOP Press Release.

Public Lecture on Human Rights in Sri Lanka

 Dr. Neil DeVotta

The UNESCO Madanjeet Singh South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (UMSAILS) organized a public lecture on 1 December 2012 on "Accountability Versus Reconciliation: Human Rights and Sri Lanka's Post-Civil War Politics" by Dr. Neil DeVotta, Associate Professor at the Department of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University, U.S.A.

 

The talk focused on the causes of Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict and the controversial manner in which it was concluded.  Dr. DeVotta also discussed the difficulties associated with bringing those who have allegedly committed human rights violations to justice, even though such accountability is important to ensuring meaningful reconciliation.

 

Dr. DeVotta observed that there should be an objective reckoning of what took place during the final stages of the war. He suggested that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission may be necessary to doing so but said he was, for various reasons, pessimistic of this coming to pass in the foreseeable future.   

Professor Delwar Hossain of the Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka chaired the session. Dr. Uttam Kumar Das, a Human Rights Lawyer, gave the address of welcome.

 

A total of 25 students and academics attended the lecture.

 Dr. Neil DeVotta with HRLC Participants.

 

For any query, kindly mail to info@sails-law.org.

 

Website: http://www.sails-law.org

Blog: http://humanrightslawclinic.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightslawclinic

Lecture Session on Women’s Rights

 Ms. Mona M’Bikay Boin is delivering her lecture. 

The Human Rights Law Clinic (HRLC) at UNESCO Madanjeet Singh South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (UMSAILS) in Dhaka organized a lecture session on “Women’s Rights and Violence Against Women” on 29 November 2012. 

Ms. Mona M’Bikay Boin, Project Manager, Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission Capacity Development Project, UNDP Bangladesh was the Speaker.

 The presentation was organized to mark the South Asian Women’s Day celebrated on 30 November. 

The Speaker has narrated the UN human rights mechanism with special reference to protection and promotion of women’s rights. 

According Ms. Boin, violence against women are linked with traditional practices existed in societies. To overcome this, she underlined to raise awareness on human rights principles and to promote respect for human rights.

The UNDP Project Manager informed that her organization is assisting the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in enhancing its capacity in relation to staff development, development of procedures for complaints management, monitoring and investigation of human rights violations. 

She informed that NHRC has undertaken policy advocacy on rights of children, victims of human trafficking, disable persons, and migrant workers.   

Human Rights Lawyer Dr. Uttam Kumar Das moderated the session; it was attended by 23 law students.  

For any query, kindly mail to info@sails-law.org.  

 Ms. Mona M’Bikay Boin with HRLC Participants. 

About Human Rights Law Clinic:

The Human Rights Law Clinic (HRLC), launched in July 2012 is to provide a platform for training and mentoring for Student-Volunteers (of Law, Human Rights and allied disciplines); the areas of focus is analysis, research and writing, pro bono human rights works and legal services, legal and judicial activism among other issues. The duration of a batch is six months; the first batch has 17 Volunteers.

The HRLC aims to train a pool of new-generation activists, lawyers, practitioners, academics and researchers with required analytical, writing and presentation skills and pro-active attitudes for promotion and protection of human rights.

New batch starts in January 2013. For related announcement, kindly visit:

Website: http://www.sails-law.org

Blog: http://humanrightslawclinic.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightslawclinic

- UMSAILS Report