Human Rights Clinic | Research and innovation

The Human Rights Clinic is a project-based initiative that, under the academic guidance of faculty members from the University of Ottawa, aims:

To strengthen the protection of human rights, by promoting advocacy, research, training and technical assistance emphasizing their effective implementation.
To foster capacity-building and to provide recommendations to ensure that policy and law have a human rights-based approach.
To promote research regarding the implementation of human rights standards in Canada and abroad.

Making a Difference

Read the Human Rights Clinic's Report 2014-2021 (PDF in English).

Current Projects

Volunteer opportunities are open to undergraduate and graduate students who will work in an interdisciplinary approach on projects directed by the HRREC.

Past Projects

Aging in the workplace;
Canadian Partnership for International Justice;
Independence of Judges and Lawyers;
International Human Rights and Canada Database (IHRCanadaDb): An online platform of Canada’s international human rights obligations and commitments. The project covers international legal instruments within the domains of human rights, humanitarian law and criminal law;
Prevention of Genocide;
Rights to Adequate Housing;
Social Condition as a Prohibited Ground of Discrimination in Canada.

Skills Development Workshops

The Centre organizes skills development workshops for the students participating in the Human Rights Clinic. Topics can include mapping exercises, writing techniques and fact-finding methodologies, among others.

Download the HRREC Human Rights Clinic promotional document (PDF in English and French).

For further information, please contact us at: hrclinic@uottawa.ca.

To apply to the Clinic, please complete the Student Application Form and submit to hrclinic@uottawa.ca.

To propose a project for the Clinic, please fill out the Project Form and send to hrclinic@uottawa.ca.

Testimonials

Stephany Caro Mejia

Stephany was a member of the human rights clinic for over a year before she begun her MA in International Relations at New York University. “Participating in the human rights clinic highly enriched my undergraduate experience by offering me the opportunity to gain valuable research experience, collaborate in a supportive group setting, and strengthen my knowledge on my topics of interest such as indigenous peoples, extractive industries, and Latin America. I was able to participate in the research and drafting of the Amicus to the Supreme Court of Mexico - an opportunity that I would not have had otherwise. The human rights clinic quickly became my favorite extracurricular activity and a standout component in my Masters applications.“

Mary Kapron

Being a member of the Extraterritoriality in Latin American Project at the Human Rights Clinic has been an amazing experience. Working as part of a team with other students, faculty members and non-governmental organizations, I have had the opportunity to conduct research and write reports and amicus curiae submissions on a number of current and pressing human rights issues. Not only has this permitted me to gain practical skills in international human rights practise, the projects that I have worked on have had an actual impact on the promotion and protection of human rights as they have been presented to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Supreme Court of Mexico.

Véronique Lahaie-Luna

Véronique is a graduated Honours BSocSc International Development and Globalization student at the University of Ottawa. "My experience as a Student Research Intern at the Human Rights Clinic has been one of the most enriching and life changing academic experiences. I was a part of the Scholars at Risk in the Americas Project and the Extractive Industries in Latin America Project teams that have allowed me to see firsthand the injustices that different legal systems impose on high risk communities. All these first-hand experiences on the different components of legal work have enforced my belief on the importance of culture and respecting diverse opinions; all of which have been integral components in my life and values throughout my studies at the University of Ottawa.

Tatyana Budilskaya

I have always had a passion for justice on the global scale. From matters related to access to justice, to nuances of the transitional justice process, the Human Rights Clinic has allowed me to bring my passions to fruition. By volunteering at the Clinic for nearly two years, I received exceptional exposure to ongoing challenges in the fields of international law and human rights. The work of the Clinic complimented my studies throughout law school and continues to provide benefit as I article at the federal government. Being part of such a talented team has undoubtedly been a highlight of my young legal career (with special thanks to Salvador Herencia and Aboubacar Dakuyo for being remarkable leaders).

Caitlin Wardrop

I am very grateful for my experience with the Human Rights Clinic. As an International Development and Law student, the Clinic allowed me to apply my academic knowledge to projects which I was passionate about. While working on the Handbook on International Standards to Address Crimes of Sexual Violence, it was fulfilling and motivating to know that my work would help practitioners apply and promote human rights internationally. It was inspiring to see how the Clinic’s research and academic work was being put to use in practical situations to assist vulnerable people. Overall, the Human Rights Clinic was a great way to expand my knowledge outside of the classroom and foster my passion for human rights work!

Victoria Rose King

Having the opportunity to be a student volunteer for the Human Rights Clinic was a honour. While volunteering at the clinic I was able to challenge myself by learning how to research core international crimes committed by various countries and then upload the relevant documents to the Legal Tools Database; of which equips a world wide amount of users in both richer and materially less resourceful countries, with legal information they require for their legal pursuits. Overall, volunteering for the Human Rights Research and Education Centre was an enriching experience and thus I encourage others who are interested in dipping their toes in International law to join this wonderful and dynamic team!

Paige Holland

The Human Rights Clinic has supported and welcomed me into their projects since 2020. The HRC, and particularly the Scholars at Risk uOttawa project, have provided me with invaluable experience that has furthered my education and armed me with knowledge that I will take into the workplace and my studies. In November 2022, I had the opportunity to travel with the HRC to the First Regional Conference for the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA) at the Universidad de Monterrey in Mexico. This conference spoke extensively on human rights and access for scholars around the Americas to academic freedom. The opportunity was incredible and I have returned with information that I will incorporate into my monitoring activities for the HRC. During the conference, I was able to network and meet scholars and professionals in the field and learn about many new perspectives when it comes to academic freedom and human rights. If you have space in your schedule, I would encourage all undergraduate students to get involved with the HRC team.

Danna El-Arab

Volunteering for the HRREC has been an extremely rewarding and enriching experience. I joined the Human Rights Clinic after attending a Skills Training Session, where I learned about the Clinic’s different projects. I was most interested in the Scholars at Risk in the Americas Project, which involves writing reports on threats against higher education communities in the Americas, as it gave me the opportunity to apply my communication background to the field of human rights. Not only has my work on the SAR Project allowed me to learn more about the importance of defending and protecting academic freedom, it has also allowed me to contribute to great human rights works, including Free to Think 2019. I am truly grateful for my time at the HRREC and for the amazing people that I have met.