Ihab joined Geneva International Centre for Justice in June 2022 as a volunteer and trainee. He is a 24-year-old Palestinian national, born and raised in Palestine. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public law and political science from the Faculty of Law at University of Tunis Al-Manar (2022), and is completing his master’s degree in the same specialty. He holds a diploma in Palestinian studies from the Academy of Refugee Studies. He is a member of the international law and international relations research laboratory at the Faculty of Law, and a member of the Union of Palestinian Jurists in Tunisia. He is also active in some civil society organizations and human rights organizations. He participated in many trainings on simulating the mechanisms of the United Nations bodies through the Tunisian Model United Nations. He has developped a keen interest in the Palestinian question and specifically on how to bring human rights violations to which the Palestinian people are exposed by the Israeli occupation before the various human rights bodies. Ihab hopes, through GICJ, to develop his skills in the human rights field and  international law. He wishes to gain practical experience, especially through the valuable and important training opportunities provided by GICJ. He hopes to use this experience to better defend the interests and rights of the Palestinian people.

Motasem joined Geneva International Centre for Justice in October 2022. Born and raised in Palestine, Gaza City, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Faculty of Law at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. He is currently a trainee lawyer with the Palestinian Bar Association, and is studying for a master’s degree in public law from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tunis Al Manar. As a member of the International Law and International Relations Research Unit at the Faculty of Law at the University of Tunis, he won the Gold Category Award at the Global Conference on Climate Law and Governance 2022 among 1,400 participants around the world. He was awarded with the best research paper for his work entitled :"Human Rights and Climate Justice in Light of International Agreements". In addition, in 2023, he obtained the 15th place in the anti-corruption competition in Tunisia for his research paper entitled: "Digitization is a fundamental pillar in the fight against corruption". Motasem is passionate about issues of human rights and international humanitarian law in the Palestinian territories and exposes the grave violations against the Palestinian people and the suffering of Palestinian detainees in Israeli occupation prisons, as well as the siege imposed on Gaza. At GICJ, Motasem hopes to learn more about advocacy and how the UN system can contribute to shed light on  human rights violations. 

.

Charlotte joined the GICJ team as an intern in June 2023. She is currently doing a bachelor’s degree in Geography at the University of Exeter, although she spent the last year on exchange studying at the University of Geneva to improve her French. Here she developed strong interests for issues of global security, conflict and injustice addressing them through a geopolitical lens. These interests were sparked largely through her role as a delegate at the GIMUN NGO and whilst attending numerous conferences with EuroSpaceHub and Geneva Centre for Security Policy. During this internship she hopes to gain a broader understanding of the inner workings of an NGO monitoring and documenting UN responses to different human rights violations. Charlotte has so far been covering the most recent updates on Israel, Palestine and Syria as well as more general concerns over increasing numbers of internally displaced persons. Additionally, she has been helping manage the organisation’s social media platforms and administration.

Loïc, a Swiss national, joined GICJ in June 2023 after freshly completing his Bachelor’s in law at the University of Fribourg. Throughout his studies, he developed a keen interest in international law and especially in Human Rights, which led him to participate in a MootCourt at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. With his internship at GICJ, Loïc would like to deepen his knowledge of the many United Nations bodies' functionning and gain practical experience and training in international organisations and NGOs. Loïc is fluent in French, (Swiss-) German, and English, and has a basic knowledge of Italian. He is also set to start a Master's degree in law at the University of Zurich.

Eunike joined GICJ as an intern in May 2023. She is pursuing her bachelor's degree in Politics & Government with a regional specialisation in the Mediterranean & the Middle East at Sciences Po Paris. During this time, she has been actively researching harmful border practices and has published a report on rights violations at the Franco-Italian border between Menton and Ventimiglia. This experience made her develop a fondness for research, one that led her to pursue a research internship on European civic space developments at Civil Liberties Union for Europe, a human rights watchdog organisation. While growing up in Indonesia, Eunike has been a passionate advocate for education, founding her own initiative that works to improve education quality through school-to-school interventions in Indonesia, Singapore and the Netherlands. At GICJ, Eunike hopes to broaden her knowledge on the human rights monitoring mechanisms of the UN and further hone her skills in human rights reporting. Eunike is also  actively involved in the maintaining of GICJ’s social media platforms. 

Luísa joined GICJ in May 2023 as an intern. She is a qualified Brazilian lawyer who is currently pursuing an LL.M. in International Law at the Geneva Graduate Institute. Luísa attended university in Brazil and graduated from the University of São Paulo in 2021, obtaining her Law Bachelor’s degree then. During her university period she further developed her interest in human rights issues and in international law, investigating the diverse impacts of human rights violations on gender, migration, and children’s rights. Seeking to specialize in the fields of human rights, she came to Geneva to obtain an LL.M. degree in International Law, with a focus on the Protection of the Individual. At GICJ, Luísa aims to learn how civil society organisations – specifically NGOs – interact with UN bodies and their work. She also sees the internship as an opportunity to gain experience within human rights mechanisms and to turn her knowledge into practice.

Sasha joined GICJ in November 2022. She is Swiss and studied in France. She graduated from Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis in June 2020 and obtain her Bachelor in Private Law. After that she continued her studies at the Institut de la Paix et du Développement in a Master of International and European Business and Trade Law and graduated in October 2022. Her developed interest in International Business law but also in international relations and internal security led her to complete a European Certification within her university concerning crisis and conflict management. This Certification helped her to better understand international issues and the inalienable links between the field of businesses and international relations. Planning to complete her studies with a second Master’s degree in September 2023, she saw GICJ as an opportunity to develop her knowledge and gain training on human rights but also to experience the different mechanisms of the United Nations and received a practical training at the international level. Sasha speaks French and English.

Maëva joined GICJ in February 2023 for her internship. She is 23 years old and was born and raised in France. Maëva graduated from Rennes I University in France in 2021 where she studied her undergraduate degree in law. Throughout her degree, she developed a deep interest in international law. This made her decide to pursue a Master´s degree in International Organisations Law at the University Jean Moulin Lyon III in France. She then developed a strong interest in human rights, humanitarian law and international criminal law. With her internship at the GICJ, Maëva would like to deepen her knowledgeof the functioning of the many United Nations bodies and gain practical experience and training in international organisations and NGO. She hopes to use her expertise in international law and international human rights law to promote a world that respects the rights of all individuals.

Kiyana currently lives in Colorado, U.S. and officially started at GICJ as an intern in January 2023. Kiyana graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy in 2017. Kiyana is currently obtaining her masters in public policy with a specialization in comparative development from the University of Denver and plans to graduate in spring 2023. Kiyana’s areas of interest are policy solutions that secure state financial resiliency and sustainable development. She is also passionate about overcoming inequality and racial discrimination through reformative justice. For several years Kiyana has worked in administration and, more recently, at a Montessori-style elementary school that facilitates a student-led curriculum. At the GICJ, Kiyana aspires to gain experience and training in international human rights mechanisms and bring awareness to human rights violations.

Isabella joined GICJ in August 2022. She completed a joint degree in International Relations and Modern History at the University of East Anglia, UK, during which she studied abroad at Tulane University, New Orleans, USA in 2020. Her studies on human rights struggles throughout the late modern period alongside her volunteer work focussed her interest in the humanitarian and human rights sectors. In particular, Isabella examined the intersection of epistemic freedom and the human rights abuses that can occur as this freedom is lost.  At GICJ Isabella is interested in receiving training on the mechanisms of international human rights and humanitarian law, particularly the remembrance and reparations of historical human rights abuses.

Frizia is 21 years old and was born and raised in India. She joined GICJ in November 2022 as a volunteer and will soon be an intern. With a keen interest in international relations, Frizia moved to Geneva in 2020 to pursue her Bachelors of Arts degree in International Relations at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and Inetrnational Relations. Throughout the last two years Frizia has interned at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and then at the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations in Geneva, during a very critical juncture for the country, post-Taliban takeover. There she constantly advocated for the rights of women and children in Afghanistan and accountability of human rights violations by the Taliban. Through her work at these organisations, she developed a deep passion for human rights advocacy and the workings of international organisations. As conflicts around the world rise, Frizia aims to bring about a positive change in the world and is delighted to be a part of GICJ, to gain more practical knowledge and training in international human rights law in conflicted countries and the mechanisms that deal with human rights violations.

Bidémi was born and raised in Nigeria. She currently resides in the Netherlands after completing her master's degree in International Law and Global Governance with a double specialisation in International relations, Human Rights and Human Security. She joined GICJ as a volunteer in August 2022. Bidemi has extensive experience working with international organisations surrounding humanitarian assistance in North-east Nigeria, indigenous/minority peoples' rights and drafting reports on civilian protection during emergencies/fragile contexts. She is particularly interested in the intersection between humanitarian aid, development and human rights, notably focusing on Asia and Africa. At GICJ, Bidemi aims to receive training on human rights mechanisms and expand her expertise in protection and advocacy. She speaks fluent English and Yoruba and is currently learning Spanish, Dutch and French as she aims to be multilingual

Juanita joined CICJ in November 2022. She grew up in Bogotá, Colombia. With a deep passion for international relations, she decided to move to Munich, Germany after high school and pursue a political science degree at the Technical University of Munich. Throughout her undergrad she has deepened her knowledge in fields of international relations, international law, global health and digitalisation in politics. From her experience working at her faculty as a working student, she learned about issues focused on climate change and its impact on human rights, since she oversaw research tasks of a seminar called “Responsibility in times of climate change”. She hopes to gain in her internship at GICJ practical experience and training in the United Nations mechanisms, as well as in the functioning of essential institutions like NGOs. She speaks Spanish, English and German.

Bethany joined GICJ in November 2022. She is 24 years old and was born and raised in the United Kingdom. Bethany graduated from the University of Reading in Berkshire in 2020, where she studied her undergraduate degree in BA Ethics, Value and Philosophy. Whilst studying towards her undergraduate degree she developed a keen interest in post-conflict resolution and global development with a specific passion for women’s rights. This urged her to study a Master’s degree in Gender and International Relations at the University of Bristol. With the training she receives at the GICJ, Bethany aims to expand her knowledge on UN human rights frameworks. Further, to gain practical experience and training in organisations at NGO-level and in other Human Rights mechanisms. Bethany hopes to use my expertise in Gender and International relations to break cycles of conflict, promote female representation and peacebuilding on a large scale.

Loïc joined GICJ in August 2022. He is Swiss, and is currently enrolled in his Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs at the University of St. Gallen (HSG). Throughout his studies, he developed a keen interest in international cooperation, which led him to a chairman position at the Model WTO 2021. Loïc is particularly fascinated by the objectives of safeguarding and promoting human rights and Humanitarian Law at the supranational level, in which he believes that NGOs play a decisive informative and reporting role. Therefore, with his internship at GICJ, Loïc aims not only to deepen his knowledge in this field, but also to gain practical experience in the heart of organisations working in contact with international human rights mechanisms. Loïc is fluent in French, (Swiss-) German, and English, and has basic knowledge of Italian.

Emily is 25 years old, was born and raised in Arizona, U.S., and speaks English. She officially started as an intern for GICJ in July 2022. Emily graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 2018 where she studied criminology, psychology, and sociology. She then started pursuing a law degree from Gonzaga School of Law in Spokane, Washington and is in her final year of obtaining her JD degree. Throughout her legal education, she has studied international law, international human rights law, and has discovered a huge passion for upholding human rights on an international level. Her main interests lie in children's rights and women's rights. With GICJ's mission to promote cultural awareness on human rights, she feels passionate about pursuing this mission. With the training she receives at GICJ, Emily hopes to expand her knowledge of international human rights law and identify ways in which legislative reform may be implemented to uphold human rights for every individual.

Martin joined GICJ in July 2022. He recently completed his PhD in international human rights law and policing at the University of Manchester, having previously studied at Durham University and Universiteit Leiden. Martin was called to the bar in England and Wales in 2013 and worked in law firms covering a range of public inquiries, prosecution of transnational fraud and claims against the police for breaches of rights. He worked as a consultant for a Syrian NGO helping to promote standards of protection for humanitarian workers and ensure accountability for international crimes. Martin also assisted pro bono an environmental NGO stop the building of a car park next to a primary school. Having moved to Geneva, Martin has joined GICJ to channel his skills and experience into promoting justice on an international stage. He hopes his time with GICJ provides him with a full understanding of how NGOs can interact effectively with the UN Human Rights Mechanisms. He also intends to publish reports with GICJ to help promote international standards in investigations, protection of rights, and tackle corruption.

Farah joined GICJ in June 2022. She recently completed her Master’s in International Law and specialised in International Organisation’s Law at the University of Jean Moulin Lyon III. Throughout her studies, she developed a keen interest in the questions surrounding the Middle East and North Africa region. With the aim to further acquire knowledge about this area, she enrolled in a specialisation on the Arab world at Sciences Po Lyon. This certificate helped her sharpen her vision of Human Rights and contributed to connect a valuable social approach with the legal one. As a student who graduated in International Organisation’s and wants to specialise in Human Rights, she sees GICJ as a tremendous opportunity to explore concretely the Human Rights mechanisms and receive a practical training in the Human Rights field. Farah speaks French, English and is working to improve her intermediate level in Arabic.

Conall joined GICJ in February 2022. He graduated from Glasgow University, where he studied Public Policy and Politics at undergraduate level. He is currently obtaining his Master’s degree in Human Rights Law at Queen’s University Belfast. Having been born and raised in Northern Ireland, Conall has an understanding of how violence and conflict are facilitated by the absence of human rights standards. He believes the theoretical human rights knowledge he has gained through his master degree will be complemented by gaining practical experience with the GICJ. He is particularly interested in receiving training to aid him gain a deeper understanding of the various mechanisms and institutions that are used to promote human rights globally.

Isabelle Despicht joined GICJ in January 2022. She is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in European Studies at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in Maastricht. She is a passionate Human Rights advocate, and has a keen interest in international organizations, the European Union, security, and foreign affairs. Next to her studies, she completed an internship with the Armenian Embassy in The Hague where she researched on the Human Rights violations in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. During her semester abroad, she studied international relations at Universidad Europea de Valencia. She was involved with the International Team for Security Studies (ITSS) Verona, where she interviewed experts and wrote articles on UK and European Security. At GICJ, Isabelle would like to gain practical experience and training in the field of human rights and broaden her knowledge on the functioning of international organizations and the UN system, all while raising the profile of human rights violations worldwide.

Sarah joined the GICJ team in September 2020. She studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at University College London, and is currently studying Law after securing a training contract at international law firm Hogan Lovells. Sarah is passionate about human rights matters in the Middle East, and particularly in Syria due to her Syrian origins. Sarah has embarked on multiple trips to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon and Turkey to meet with Syrian refugees and learn more about their human rights situation. With GICJ, Sarah hopes to be able to shed light on the ongoing struggles of refugees, particularly women and children, and to expose the gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law both in Syria and beyond, all while receiving training in the field of human rights.

Gian joined GICJ in March 2022. He graduated in February with a Bachelor’s degree in law from University of Zurich. During his mobility semester at the University of Geneva, he developed a passion for international law through studying international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Gian worked as an academic assistant both for law firms as well as on research projects at university. Before beginning his Master’s degree in international law, he is delighted to use the opportunity to work with GICJ to gain practical knowledge of international law, especially and get training on the mechanisms to address current human rights issues around the world through the UN Human Rights Council and other institutions. He is particularly interested in the connection of human rights and the protection of the environment. Gian speaks German, English, Italian and French.

Natalia joined GICJ in January 2022. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, she holds a Law degree from Universidad del Rosario and she is currently finishing a second degree in International Relations with an emphasis in Security, Peace, and Conflict. Besides working at the university as a teacher´s assistant, she also participated in the Harvard National Model of UN, debating mainly about Human Rights issues. In addition, she worked at the Student Council, focusing on gender issues. From her experience as an intern in the Colombia Constitutional Court, she learned more about human rights issues in Colombia. From her internship at GICJ, she aims to get professional experience and training in the field of human rights, to learn about the practical functioning of the International System, and learn about human rights mechanisms and issues around the world. She speaks Spanish, English and is currently learning French.

Jamel was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, and currently resides in Geneva, Switzerland. She is currently the Vice president at IcSquared GMBH with duties including strategic planning, business negotiations, product hunting, and is the diversity and inclusion advisor at IcSquared. Jamel holds a Masters in Advanced studies in Peace and conflict transformation from Swiss Peace Academy, University of Basel and a bachelor’s degree in Public Relation. She has worked with local councils with youths and development and is motivated by positive social change and social movements like the civil rights movement and the fight against racism and segregation. Through this volunteer opportunity at GICJ, she would like to gain practical experience and broaden her knowledge in the field of human rights, international law, and justice.

Patricia Jjuuko is Ugandan with over 10 years of professional experience in the social security and life insurance sectors. She is passionate about seeing individuals being treated with fairness and this eventually led up to heading the Client Service Department of Sanlam Life Insurance in Uganda, where she defended the rights of clients and ensured they had a good experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies from Makerere University in Uganda and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies at the University of London in the UK. Patricia was born and raised in Kenya and has lived in Uganda and the United States. She now lives in Nyon, Switzerland, with her husband and three sons.

Mutua Kobia joined GICJ in January 2017. After graduating with a Master Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Geneva School of Diplomacy (2013) in Geneva, Switzerland, Mutua has been very active in the NGO Community in Geneva. Gender relations, the environment, and indigenous communities has been the interest and focus of much of his work particularly at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Mutua also holds a Bachelor of Philosophy from Hope College, Holland, Michigan. He intends to expand his knowledge in the field of human rights, international law, and justice as well as taking a more hands on approach and involvement with grass roots work and local on-the-ground projects.