14 February 2022
Sharon Braekman, enrolled in our Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law (MTJ), tells us about her background, the programme and what it will bring to her career.
Coming from Belgium, I have a Master of Law in Criminal Justice and Human Rights from Ghent University. My curiosity and interest in a broad range of fields are reflected in my volunteer work with victims of human trafficking in Belgium and in the choice, during my studies, of courses on philosophy, psychology and political science. Various internships at law offices and participation in a moot court gave me a glimpse of life as a lawyer, and I am now ready to explore other options.
During my Erasmus at the University of Neuchâtel, I attended a guest lecture on transitional justice and I knew that it was my thing right away.
Transitional justice is a very specific domain, yet it involves expertise from a wide variety of fields. The combination of the Geneva Academy solid academic reputation with the fact that it offers a master programme in this field made it a fairly evident choice to apply to the MTJ.
The MTJ courses offer exactly what I lacked in my law education: a holistic approach to conflicts.
For me, the strongest point of the programme is the diversity of students who give incredibly interesting insights from their home countries during classes.
I would recommend the MTJ to anyone who is looking for a holistic programme in the field of transitional justice and human rights.
After graduation, I plan to gain experience in the field for a couple of years, either with an NGO or with an international organization. The programme will help me to reach this objective by acquiring the tools and postgraduate degree to do so.
I chose a picture at Bains des Pâquis because this is the place that combines all the joys of Geneva. It’s close to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and gives a great overview of the lake with the old town and the mountains behind it. And, most importantly, people of all backgrounds gather here to have breakfast before work, go for a swim, walk, have a drink or read a book.
Professor Claudia Martin just started as Visiting Fellow at the Geneva Academy and will stay with us until the end of July. She tells us in this interview the focus of her research during her time at the Geneva Academy.
Adobe
The papers aim to allow students to investigate a subject of special interest and deepen their expertise through research as well as exchanges with experts, scholars and practitioners.
Adobe
This Human Rights Conversation will explore the extent to which an independent mechanism such as the Meta Oversight Board is akin to a human rights tribunal and the risks that could be linked to delegating such powers to a private authority.
CCPR Centre
In this opening lecture of the 2023–2024 academic year, Professor Helene Tigroudja will discuss how UN human rights mechanisms address cases or situations that arise during armed conflicts.
ICC-CPI
This online short course reviews the origins of international criminal law, its relationship with the international legal order including the UN Security Council and its coexistence with national justice institutions. The scope of international crimes – genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression – is considered alongside initiatives to expand or add to these categories.
UN Photo
This online short course analyses the main international and regional norms governing the international protection of refugees. It notably examines the sources of international refugee law, including the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and their interaction with human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Adobe
This initiative wishes to contribute to better and more coordinated implementation, reporting and follow-up of international human rights recommendations through a global study on digital human rights tracking tools and databases.
UN Photo
This research aimed at taking stock of and contributing to a better understanding of the above-mentioned challenges to the principle of universality of human rights while also questioning their validity.
Geneva Academy
Geneva Academy