After two semesters in the Human Rights Clinic, I feel that I’ve gained valuable experience doing human rights reporting and advocacy work. I thought I wanted to pursue a career in human rights work when I started the Clinic, and now I’m sure that I want to and I feel prepared for the multidisciplinary workload that a human rights career will entail.
During my first semester in the HRC, I had the opportunity to work on a press release about the first major report produced by the Clinic. I helped diffuse the report and press release to the media, as well as to individuals and organizations in the government and non-profit sectors. That seemed unbeatable, but during my second semester I went on a fact-finding mission to Costa Rica and helped author a report about indigenous peoples’ rights in the face of a hydroelectric project planned in the country’s Southern Zone.
The Human Rights Clinic is an experience I think is priceless for those who want to pursue a career in human rights, and an excellent opportunity even for those with only a passing interest in the topic. Ariel Dulitzky is a great professor, supervisor, and mentor, and the HRC has been the most enriching opportunity of my law school career thus far!