Horsehair Wigs podcast

Horsehair Wigs

1
Aonghus Kelly 35:16

vor 6 weeks35:16

35:16

From supporting Ukrainian justice actors in investigating and prosecuting international crimes to the weakening of the rule of law and the climate crisis, our guest this month, Aonghus Kelly has a lot to talk about. Aonghus is an international criminal and human rights lawyer and has just finished his stint as head of the international crimes’ legal unit for the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM), Ukraine . Aonghus and his team were brought in after Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, to help document and collate information, with a view to prosecutions. But, unlike the International Criminal Court , EUAM doesn't have an executive mandate, which Aonghus found frustrating: “You know what to do. You know how to do it. You know what needs to be done. But you can’t do it. So you can just advise them.” And Aonghus is also skeptical about seeing multiple cases go before the ICC, believing rather in financial compensation as a more realistic means of justice for Ukrainians, but says redirecting frozen Russian assets for this purpose might prove problematic: “What about the other terrible actions being taken by sovereign countries around the world. Are their assets going to be seized?” Aonghus, like other previous guests on the podcast , expresses great concern over the rule of law, as some western states continue to support Israel: “Given what we are lecturing the Russians on, this is a little problematic, if western countries aren’t as fulsome in their expressions as regards Israel, as they have been as regards Russia. In fact, it worries me deeply because it seems to prove one of Putin’s talking points, which is that the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Justice system, the International Rule of Law is all a western construct and is a complete fake and just serves the west. I don’t believe that. I have never believed that. But you’d have to say, this is a useful piece of evidence for him (Putin), to exhibit before us all and say, ‘I told you’. Aonghus recently upskilled in getting a Masters in Sustainability from Cambridge . He talks about the climate crisis, the human rights abuses associated with extractivism, climate denialism and biodiversity loss: “What we are telling people right now is, ‘We don’t care if your land is being swallowed up by the Sahara Desert, or the rains don’t come anymore, or the big fishing ships have come from rich Northern countries and have swooped up all of your fish. We don’t care about any of that. You need to stay there in squalor and, of course, do look at your mobile phone that we have sold you.'” Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Maria McCloskey 25:42

vor 11 weeks25:42

25:42

What does the rule of law mean? That’s the question on our podcast this month, with our guest Maria McCloskey, Irish Rule of Law International’s (IRLI) Executive Director. There is no one-agreed definition of the rule of law, but broadly it’s a set of principles upon which a foundation of a society is built and governed - politically, institutionally and legally. Some of the core elements are justice, equality and peace. For Maria: “The key principles, for me, are equality before the law, access to justice and it’s also about having an independent judiciary, and that separation of powers between legislature and the judiciary.” Maria further discusses what the rule of law means in the context of IRLI’s programming. With an extensive access to justice programme in Malawi , serving the most vulnerable in the community and a programme in Zambia helping to tackle widespread corruption in the country, along with a pilot project improving access to justice for unrepresented accused people, Maria feels there is great interest in IRLI’s work: “Almost on a daily basis I have individuals and organisations saying, ‘Is there anything I can do?,’ so I know that the will of the people here in Ireland - North and South - is huge and growing all the time.” Maria’s thoughts are especially interesting, given recent sweeping blows to human rights globally, particularly since U.S President Donald Trump entered his second term in office . “We can see so many countries around the world starting to take backward or retrograde steps and undoing some of those systems that have been built up since World War II. There is an element of the unravelling of the protections which is very concerning and worrying,” she says. Maria also talks about another pilot programme IRLI has launched, in Tigray, supporting victims’ groups; ensuring their voices are heard, as part of the peace process there . She believes that academics and civil society groups in Ireland are uniquely positioned to provide expertise in the transitional justice space, given The Troubles in the North. And she talks about a recent visit to Ireland from the Ukrainian judiciary, who operate in the country despite Russia’s continued invasion. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Alia Al Ghussain 32:39

vor 15 weeks32:39

32:39

On this month’s show, we’re joined by Alia Al Ghussain, a researcher and advisor with Amnesty Tech , who talks about the huge need to centre human rights in the technology sector. “This is a bad situation and it’s primed to get even worse,” she says, on the back of the move by Meta earlier this year, to end its practice in the US of fact-checking information posted on its platform . The development is seen as a backward step to curry favour with the Trump administration, according to Alia: “It marks a very clear retreat from the company’s previously stated commitments to responsible content governance and I think it also shows that Meta hasn’t learned from its previous recklessness, or if it has learned anything that those learnings have been discarded, basically.” Amnesty Tech has previously investigated and released reports into the role that various tech companies have had in human rights abuses. One of the major reports that first shed light on the issue - that of digital players now needing to own responsibility - was its report into the persecution of the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar , looking into what role Meta played; how hate speech on its platform promoted violence against the Rohingya. The report found that, “Meta’s algorithms proactively amplified and promoted content which incited violence, hatred, and discrimination against the Rohingya – pouring fuel on the fire of long-standing discrimination and substantially increasing the risk of an outbreak of mass violence.” And it concluded that: “Meta substantially contributed to adverse human rights impacts suffered by the Rohingya and has a responsibility to provide survivors with an effective remedy.” Another major report Alia was involved in looked at Facebook’s role in contributing to violence during the brutal two-year conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region , which began in 2020 when the Ethiopian government began military operations there against the region’s ruling party. Amnesty concluded that Meta had once again – “through its content-shaping algorithms and data-hungry business model – contributed to serious human rights abuses.” In this episode, Alia explains how big tech players make their money from users’ data and discusses the harmful impacts of algorithmic curated content. She also shares her knowledge on how content goes viral, emphasising that it’s not necessarily that the content is good, but rather that it elicits an emotional reaction amongst users and generates a lot of engagement. Ultimately, Alia believes that digital platforms need to be redesigned with human rights at the centre and she calls for more governance in this area: “I think that governments and some regional bodies, like the EU, really need to double down their efforts to rein in big tech companies, like Meta and others, and also to hold them accountable… because this is about people’s lives at the end of the day. This isn’t an intellectual debate.” Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
John Reynolds 23:33

vor 19 weeks23:33

23:33

On the programme this month, we talk to Dr. John Reynolds of Maynooth University , who discusses the reaction of states to the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant over suspected war crimes in Gaza . There’s been a mixed reaction to the move by the ICC. States signed up to the court are obliged to arrest both men on their territory, however there’ve been statements to suggest otherwise. John says that’s because law and the legal system isn’t insulated from geopolitics, imperialism or war economies: “The ICC, to take that as example, is not a panacea and we shouldn’t expect it to be. We are talking about major entrenched imperial power relations here… it’s one of many political battlegrounds and arenas of struggle.” The US, which is not a member of the ICC, has a contentious relationship with the court. John talks about these historical difficulties and the move by the US to sanction ICC officials in protest over the latest arrest warrants : “Because there’s a question of the west’s own internal self-reflection; What does this mean for us if Israeli leaders can be put on trial?’ And this speaks most directly and explicitly to the US position,” says John. After accusations going back some time by African states that the ICC is guilty of selective prosecutions of cases originating in Africa , this is the first time that the court has issued a warrant for a leader of a Western ally, in Netanyahu, which John reflects on. He says there is still a narrative, among the states who oppose the arrest warrants that, “… this is wrong from the perspective of the legitimacy of the court because we can’t create an equivalent between elected leaders of a democratic state, like Israel… we can’t equate them with these African warlords or non-state terror groups that we see as threats to our world view.” John says that Palestinian groups are pushing for an extension of the crimes being prosecuted , which currently include the war crime of starvation, as a method of warfare, and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. IRLI, as a supporter of national and international courts and judicial independence, believes strongly in the authority of the ICC and the responsibility of states signed up to the court to abide by its principles. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Nikki Reisch 33:03

vor 24 weeks33:03

33:03

The Director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law , Nikki Reisch is our guest on the show this month. Niki talks about the advisory opinion expected this year from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences for governments concerning climate change. The pending opinion comes on the back of two weeks of climate hearings in The Hague in December. In the largest case in its history, the ICJ heard from almost 100 countries and communities who delivered their testimonies on climate change. Nikki was there and described the atmosphere in the court as hugely moving: “The countries that are literally losing ground to the ravages of climate change showed time and again, through this process, that they not only have the moral high-ground, but the legal high-ground.” The case at the ICJ was led by the Pacific Island of Vanuatu and brought about as a result of the efforts of twenty-seven law students from the University of the South Pacific. Pacific island communities are among those on the frontline of climate change, once living in harmony with the ocean, now threatened by rising sea levels caused largely by warming global temperatures, caused largely as a result of the burning of fossil fuels. Kicking off proceedings, Vanuatu’s special envoy for climate change and environment, Mr. Ralph Regenvanu said responsibility for the climate crisis lay squarely with, “a handful of readily identifiable states,” that had produced the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions but stood to lose the least from the impacts. Nikki says there was a very clarion call from countries around the world to reject efforts to give polluters a free pass and to instead carve out their conduct from long-standing fundamental principles of international law, saying the push, “was really resounding.” According to Nikki: “The whole world knows what caused this crisis and which countries bear the most responsibility and they’re simply asking for the court to affirm that, yes indeed, that conduct was in violation of legal obligations then and now, and that there is a duty to remedy and repair that harm.” A stark division emerged during the two weeks at the ICJ , during which countries like the US, Britain, Germany and France were heavily criticised for their stance and accused of talking down ambitious climate action. For example - the world’s largest historic greenhouse gas emitter, the US, its representative at the talks Margaret Taylor - its then legal adviser at the state department - said the current UN climate change regime, “embodies the clearest, most specific, and the most current expression of states’ consent to be bound by international law in respect of climate change,” adding, “any other legal obligations relating to climate change mitigation identified by the court should be interpreted consistently with the obligations states have under this treaty regime.” She was talking about treaties agreed at UN climate change talks, known as the Conference of the Parties (COP), and the historic agreement reached by states in 2015, known as the Paris Agreement . That’s when states pledged to keep the warming of the planet below 1.5°C degrees. And although, since coming into his second term in office, in January 2025, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement, Nikki argues that the issue at stake at the ICJ goes well beyond the Paris Agreement: “It’s important to clarify that countries’ legal obligations to prevent, minimise and remedy that impacts of climate change neither starts nor ends with the Paris Agreement. Those agreements (COP agreements), they were adopted under the backdrop of human rights law and long-standing international law. One of the fundamental tenants of inter-state relations in respect of sovereignty is that one country can’t undertake activities or allow activities on its territory that would harm another. And that it was, in fact, in response to those long-standing principles, not in spite of them or to replace or displace them, that the climate treaties were agreed. But in fact, nothing in those treaties cuts off the application of those laws or suggests that they replace or supplant existing obligations.” Ultimately, Nikki believes that what was heard at the ICJ hearings will offer huge hope: “The knowledge that people can unite together, to not only stand up against big polluters and powers with vested interest, but actually influence the course of history and use the law for justice, not for advantage and self-interest. And I think that’s really part of what makes this a watershed moment for human rights, climate justice and accountability.” Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Pat de Brún 33:31

vor 28 weeks33:31

33:31

Our podcast this month is a personal and professional tribute to a dear former Irish Rule of Law International colleague – international criminal and human rights lawyer James Douglas, who sadly died earlier this year. One of his best friends and fellow human rights lawyer, Pat de Brún reflects on his life and work. Pat is Head of Big Tech Accountability & Deputy Director of Amnesty Tech at Amnesty International . James, from Dublin in Ireland, started his career with an internship at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, where he spent almost five years working as a lawyer and an investigator. He then joined an organisation, called Equitable Cambodia , a land rights organisation, with a heavy focus on community engagement. Afterwards, and a brief period working with the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in South Korea, he began working with Victim Advocates International , which enabled him to merge his two primary interests: community engagement and international criminal law. He mainly worked with Rohingya survivors of the 2017 clearance operations, assisting them with devising advocacy and legal strategies. James joined IRLI during Covid-19 in October 2020 and worked as Director of Programmes and also served as Executive Director. We miss him deeply. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Deborah Ruiz Verduzco 43:35

vor 33 weeks43:35

43:35

The Executive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Deborah Ruiz Verduzco is our guest on the show this month. The Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC is a central part of the court’s mandate: the reparative justice pillar of the court, giving effect to victims’ right to redress. But the court faces multiple challenges: “The principle is that convicted persons will be paying for these reparations and the practice has been that in the five cases to date, none of the convicted persons have had the resources for this,” says Verduzco. This has meant that states that have signed up to the court, founded by the Rome Statute , are now, unexpectedly, being asked to contribute to the fund, says Verduzco, “States have established the court and believe that this (fund) is important but they never expected themselves to be paying for this. So now that they need to pay for this, we need to create policy and logics to access those resources. We, of course, need to also work with the private sector… but ultimately this is a matter of the rule of law and, ultimately, a matter for states.” In July of this year, the Trust Fund for Victims issued its first urgent funding appeal of €5 million, to launch a reparation programme for victims of Dominic Ongwen, a former child soldier-turned-Ugandan rebel commander, sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes, including murder, rapes and forced pregnancy. ICC judges awarded 50,000 of his victims more than €52 million in reparations , an order rivalling the entire budget of the Office of the ICC Prosecutor in 2023 (€59,340,000). Ongwen, himself, has no money and cannot pay any of it. Deborah talks about the appeal and the substantial ICC order, “How much of that money have we received? At the moment the pledge has not been fulfilled. We are in the process of dialogue with states; they are interested, they want to understand – we are speaking of a new era of giving money for different purposes, so we are really at the beginning of that process. But I am confident, I am hopeful that this will be fulfilled,” she says. But the fund doesn’t deal exclusively in cash. “We are not talking about, necessarily, always or if at all money. But we are looking at what the harm is and what measures can be taken to repair that harm, always in a symbolic manner,” Deborah outlines. In this episode, we get great insight into the workings of the fund, a hugely multifaceted arm of the ICC. It’s a fund heavily criticised for failing to deliver on its mandate, criticisms Verduzco addresses. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Seán Columb 25:44

vor 38 weeks25:44

25:44

Our guest this month is Dr Seán Columb, who for over 10 years has been investigating the illegal organ trade. Dr Columb is a legal academic - a senior lecturer in law at the School of Law and Social Justice at the University of Liverpool. Since 2014, he has spoken to over 40 people from countries including Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea, who were fleeing conflict or the legacy of conflict, and who sold a kidney out of economic necessity. Selling or buying an organ is illegal anywhere in the world, except for Iran. It’s estimated that 10% of organs for transplantation come from illegal sources . The true number is likely higher, according to Seán, who says most cases go unreported because of the precarious legal status of the donors. Most of Seán’s research took place in Egypt, where he says people were targeted by criminal groups because of their vulnerable status as asylum seekers, refugees or undocumented migrants. Seán explains that most were not paid what they had been promised. He believes that these people have been doubly victimised, as illegal migrants and organ sellers. The black market for organs includes kidneys, corneas and liver lobes. Seán’s research relates to the buying and selling of kidneys. He believes there is a rising demand for kidneys partly because of the spread of so-called diseases of affluence – diabetes, hypertension, obesity – and the subsequent rise in kidney failure. He also attributes the increase to the privatisation of healthcare. From his research, Seán wanted to learn about how the trade in organs is organised, and how brokers rationalise what they are doing. Seán says some of the brokers are, indeed, former donors themselves. While doctors who carry out the transplants turn a blind eye to what is happening, according to Seán. From a legal perspective, Seán is interested in how law under certain circumstances can actually generate violence. He says, in many circumstances, this is an unintended consequence of laws and policies that are not really thought out, or understood from a human perspective. He says the focus of criminal investigations should be on the brokers, the personnel in the hospital chains performing the surgeries, including the doctors. Seán says to get good intel on the trade, it should be decriminalised, but by this he does not mean a regulated industry, rather Seán believes that it should be made clear that donors and recipients should not be prosecuted. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Raphael Heffron 21:14

vor 43 weeks21:14

21:14

Governments and energy companies will be held legally responsible for past decisions when it comes to the energy sector, as justice takes centre stage. That’s the argument from this month’s guest - Irish Professor, Raphael Heffron. Professor Heffron is a Professor in Energy Law, Energy Justice and the Social Contract at the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, Pau, France . He’s also a qualified Barrister-at-Law. His work focuses on achieving a sustainable and just transition to a low-carbon energy economy, and combines a mix of governance, policy and economics. He has published over 200 publications of different types and is one of the most cited scholars in his field worldwide for energy law, energy justice and the just energy transition. The just energy transition is an approach to the energy sector, moving away from a sector that has had economic principles at heart, and arguably a cosy relationship with fossil fuel companies. The just transition is rooted in economic and societal fairness, using eco-friendly technologies, limiting pollution and the further warming of our planet. Professor Heffron says, “In this huge sector in our economy, we are trying to ensure that we have a level of justice, via the rule of law, which we haven’t had before… With the knowledge that is out there today, you have to have a far greater basis for your decision-making, if you’re involved in the energy sector and that’s whether you are a policy maker, working in an energy company or a leader of a civil society organisation.” Professor Heffron and his colleagues have published an article in the journal Nature Energy . In it, they say that the role of justice is set to shift accountability and responsibility in the energy sector to governments and energy companies. Both governments and energy companies have traditionally evaded responsibility and according to one study from the International Monetary Fund , the fossil fuel industry gets subsidies of 11 million dollars a minute, and yet is responsible for three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Mr. Heffron argues that energy decision-makers today will be held legally accountable for past decisions and that this will influence how decisions are now made. He makes a case for “milestone reports” in which stakeholders can mark their progress towards climate goals and believes this will ensure that justice is ensured, tracked and climate pledges are achieved, with fairness at the heart of them. He discusses the recent case at the European Court of Human Rights in which 2,000 Swiss seniors won a significant ruling on holding their government accountable for addressing climate change. It ruled that that Switzerland failed to implement sufficient climate policies – violating the women’s human rights. However, now, the Swiss parliament has rejected the ruling saying it has a climate change strategy and with right-wing politicians criticising what they see as an overreach by “foreign judges”. Heffron responds by saying: “Maybe the fossil fuel industry has overreached into our economy for too long…” He also discusses ISDS – a controversial legal investment protection mechanism, which we have discussed with a previous guest on the podcast , believing the area is ripe for reform. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Stéphanie Caligara 27:57

vor 1 year27:57

27:57

It’s been dubbed litigation terrorism – an investor protection regime that’s stalling climate action and instead paying polluters. On this episode of Horsehair Wigs, we’re talking about investor state dispute settlement clauses or ISDS mechanisms with Stéphanie Caligara, a French qualified lawyer and consultant with the Global Legal Action Network . Stéphanie focuses on environmental and climate litigation, human rights and corporate accountability. She also has experience in investment treaty arbitration. Stephanie has been watching carefully a situation unfold in Colombia where Glencore, the Swiss multinational mining company, is using the Switzerland-Colombia bilateral investment treaty – and the ISDS mechanism contained within it - to demand compensation money from the Colombian government for not being able to carry out all its mining activities at the largest coal mine in Latin America. The El Cerrejón mine has been marred by alleged human and environmental abuses , with multiple indigenous groups and people in the region affected. The mine accounts for .7% of Colombia’s GDP, and thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Stephanie explains what ISDS is and talks about the various claims by Glencore against Colombia. She speaks about people in the region of the mine feeling like they’re being hostage by Glencore, while the Colombian government has signalled its intention to move away from fossil fuels . Globally, the fossil fuel and mining industries have already been awarded over 100 billion dollars as a result of ISDS mechanisms , leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Stephanie talks about how the investment protections are having a “chilling effect” on states and often lead to a dilution or a stalling of climate policy. ISDS was originally designed to protect investors in countries where the judiciary of a country was not independent of state. But Stephanie says she doesn’t believe there is merit for such a clause when it comes to fossil fuel extraction and efforts by government to incorporate greener policies. One country that has recently been successful in facing down the ISDS mechanism is Romania . It defeated a closely watched investor state dispute settlement case worth US$4.4 billion plus interest brought by a Canadian mining company over the denial of an environmental permit for a gold and silver project in an area, now recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site . Stephanie talks about the case and how it can serve as a beacon of hope for other states beholden to ISDS cases. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Rhea Kneifati 23:47

vor 1 year23:47

23:47

We speak with Rhea Kneifati on this month’s show – a legal expert, specialising in sexual and gender-based investigations. She talks about the significant problem of the disappearance of women in Mexico, where there are currently 27,000 missing women. Rhea was deployed by Justice Rapid Response - an NGO with a roster of experts investigating international crimes and serious human rights violations – to work with a Mexican strategic human rights litigation organisation, Idheas to investigate the disappearance of women in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The state is one of the central points of violence by organised crime and human rights violations in the context of the so-called “war on drugs”. 712 women have disappeared and are missing in the state, to date, however in more than 60 years, not a single arrest warrant has been issued by the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Guerrero nor has a single sentence been handed down for the disappearance of a woman. In 2022, the UN Committee on the elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) considered that the phenomenon of enforced disappearances taking place in Mexico was one of the most violent forms of gender-based violence committed against women, and that it amounts to discrimination against women . The first time it took such a stance, linking disappearances to gender-based violence (GBV) and to how state authorities tolerated, or even supported it. Rhea describes the move as significant and says it puts international pressure on the state of Mexico. Multiple state justice actors have been heavily criticised for failing to investigate cases of the disappearance of women in Mexico. The authorities in charge of investigations, particularly in Guerrero, have been accused of stigmatising women victims of disappearance when any of the lines of investigation identify members of organised crime as suspects. They’ve also been criticised for failing to conduct gender-responsive investigations, express gender stereotypes when communicating with relatives, and for blaming women for their own disappearance. This is said to be observed at all levels, including in legislative and judicial branches. Rhea says that crimes against women are not punished in Mexico and there’s a general climate of impunity. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Ray Murphy 35:10

vor 1 year35:10

35:10

On the show this month, we talk to Ray Murphy, a human rights lawyer and professor at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in Galway. Ray talks about the current situation in Gaza and the legality of the Israel-Hamas war. Ray says he believes the only way the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza will be truly tackled is through international law and the framework of international law. But he, too, stresses the importance of political will - an aspect of international law a previous guest, Kate Gibson has also talked about. Ray discusses the South Africa genocide legal challenge against Israel before the International Court of Justice and how he believes there is a good case for genocide because, he says, innocent civilians have been targeted. He describes the Israeli military’s response to the 2023 Hamas October 7th attacks as “totally disproportionate” and the consequences “quite horrific.” As the primary judicial organ of the United Nations, t he International Court of Justice is, in Ray’s view, the most prestigious and authoritative international court, describing the court as “a very effective mechanism for adjudicating disputes or seeking clarification on legal issues.” He says its rulings are not binding, but carry political weight. Ray Murphy questions Germany’s staunch support of Israel, in light of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, asking, “What is it about Germany and its support for Israel that makes it somewhat blind towards the horrific, catastrophic, awful human situation that is currently being inflicted on the Palestinian civilian population of Gaza?” Ray also discusses the constitution of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide as a backdrop to the various legal explorations underway related to the war, and indeed to Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
IRLI Team Malawi 23:33

vor 1 year23:33

23:33

We sit down with some of Irish Rule of Law International’s (IRLI) Malawi team this month to discuss how Malawi's poverty is affecting its justice institutions. IRLI’s programme in the country is strategically designed, in collaboration with its partners on the ground, to provide access to justice to people accused of crimes in Malawi. Malawi is a country with a prison population of seventeen thousand and only 700 lawyers. We hear from Susie Kiely IRLI’s Malawi Director, Macdara O Droisecoil IRLI’s Programme Lawyer seconded to the Legal Aid Bureau and Immaculate Maluza IRLI’s programme lawyer seconded to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions . They talk about democracy in the resource-poor country, the overcapacity of Malawi’s prisons , prison conditions for inmates, the new Prisons Bill they’re trying to see enacted and the huge delays in bringing people to court. IRLI’s holistic approach to access to justice in Malawi enables its programme to target each component of the justice system and ensures the cooperation and coordination between key institutions. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Sarai Chisala-Templehoff 28:42

vor 1 year28:42

28:42

On Horsehair Wigs this month, we speak with Sarai Chisala-Templehoff, a human rights and social justice lawyer. Sarai is the Founder of the Gender and Justice Unit in Malawi – an organisation educating women on their legal rights, in a hugely patriarchal society. Much of the work that the Gender and Justice Unit does centers around women’s access to justice in the country – through working with partners, including Irish rule of Law International, providing support and responding to legal gaps. Sarai talks about the social and cultural landscape in Malawi, where many young girls are married very young, some before their 15th birthday, despite child marriage being illegal in the country. The NGO, Girls Not Brides , has said that Malawi has the 12th highest child marriage rate in the world. In 2020, this equated to 46% of girls married before turning 18. Sarai talks about child marriage being viewed as a means to improving economic status. She also talks about the non-rights of women being systematic, given that many young pregnant girls drop out of school early, and that's when the cycle of injustice starts, she says. In Malawi, 34% of women aged between 15 and 49 have reported experiencing physical violence, 14% sexual violence, and 23% emotional violence. During the course of the conversation, we discuss this with Sarai in the broader context of the discrimination that women and girls face in the country. Malawi ranks 9th globally in terms of aids prevalence. There are an estimated 1.1 million Malawians living with HIV and over 771,000 orphaned children, many due to AIDS. Sarai talks about her work in this field. How is climate change impacting the rights of women and girls in Malawi? Sarai believes that the Gender and Justice Unit will need to become better equipped in climate issues to continue to serve its community needs. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Doreen Chen 25:25

vor 1 year25:25

25:25

On the show this month, we’re talking to international human rights lawyer, Doreen Chen. She talks about the situation for human rights defenders globally and she also discusses her human rights centric input in the drawing up for various global authorities of counter-terrorism responses. Doreen is the co-founder of a non-profit, Destination Justice , which she also runs. The organisation advances human rights and the rule of law. It works primarily with human rights defenders – people who work peacefully to promote and protect human rights. Doreen links the killing and crackdown of human rights defenders globally with a worldwide decline in the rule of law . Most of the human rights defenders being killed are those working to protect the land, environment or indigenous people’ rights. Doreen discusses this in the context of Asia, where she has her focus, and she also discusses the precarious human rights conditions for people exercising their basic freedoms in Thailand. As a lawyer and litigator, she believes that the right to a fair-trial is a corner-stone to respecting the rule of law and democracy, and in that context works with various actors in centering human rights in counter-terrorism responses. She says there is a rich tapestry of different actors working to counter the threat of terrorism, especially since 9/11 and she works with various authorities globally. She says, “we need to be level-headed, especially in cases like terrorism, when the circumstances are triggering us to behave otherwise.” She says the underlying theme of the rule of law and democratic resilience is why she does this work. Doreen says her invitation to participate in these different policy spaces, as an international human rights lawyer, is evidence of the approaches that are being taken now, twenty years after the terrorist attacks against New York City and Washington D.C. while mentioning widely publicised shortcomings in prior processes adhering to human rights law, namely extensive detention, extraordinary rendition and torture of suspects. According to the latest statistics in the Global Terrorism Index, from ReliefWeb – a UN service - Afghanistan is the country most impacted by terrorism for the fourth consecutive year, but it’s the Sahel region in sub-Saharan Africa which is now the epicenter of terrorism. Doreen discusses the known drivers of terrorism, saying people who live within weak legal systems are at particular risk of terrorist activity. For Doreen, she believes human rights standards need to be lifted across the board to eliminate the potential for terrorists to exploit weaknesses. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Kate Gibson 30:09

vor 2 years30:09

30:09

On Horsehair Wigs this month, we’re in conversation with international criminal and human rights lawyer, Kate Gibson, who talks about the effectiveness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in delivering justice. The ICC is made up of 123-member states, but many governments are not ICC parties, having not signed up to the Rome Statute, which governs it. These countries include the United States, China, Israel, Russia and India. Kate talks about the importance of all states signing up the court, cooperating and believing in it, in order for there to be more widespread enforceability of international criminal justice and accountability for grave crimes. In its 21-year history, the International Criminal Court has publicly indicted 52 people. With the exception of 5 Russians indicted during the current conflict in Ukraine, all other ICC indictees have been African or Arab. Kate believes it’s because international criminal justice is a very politicised environment and questions why some states are willing to subject themselves to the jurisdictional reach of the court and others aren’t. She says this is why international justice, “doesn’t yet have this universal reach” and “why we only see certain types of defendants in the dock”. Among others, Kate has represented former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic who is serving a life sentence after being convicted of genocide for the July 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces. And she’s also acted as co-counsel to the former Liberian President Charlies Taylor – who is serving a life sentence for his role in the conflict in Sierra Leone . Kate talks about her career of nearly 20 years representing those accused of serious international crimes and the impact the delivery life sentences have, and her view of the defence being crucial to the workings of justice. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Binta Mansaray 30:50

vor 2 years30:50

30:50

On the programme this month, we discuss the psychosocial impact of the civil war in Sierra Leone with human rights activist, Binta Mansaray. Binta, a Sierra Leonean, talks about the double victimisation of child soldiers, who are now adults, many homeless, and involved in criminality. She also talks about the legacy the conflict has had – a conflict which had been fuelled and funded by the country’s natural resources, diamonds. We hear about the absence within schools’ teachings of the history of the war. And Binta describes many adults in the country now, “not wanting to hear anything about the war because of what they have gone through.” What has become of the perpetrators of the violence and its survivors? We discuss this, within the narrow mandate the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) had, in holding those who bore “the greatest responsibility” and within a specific timeframe. Binta is Registrar of the SCSL, now in residual status. Prior to that, she worked as its Outreach Coordinator, having direct contact with the people and communities in the country. Much of her work surrounded liaising with women and children, and still, to this day, she is involved in the processes surrounding transitional justice. The SCSL was the first to rule on the use of child soldiers in conflict. Previous podcast guests, Shireen Fisher and Teresa Doherty have also contributed significantly to the court. Indeed, while a member of the court, it was Justice Doherty’s opinion that led to the recognition in international law of forced marriage as a crime against humanity. This episode contains some graphic details of killings and atrocities committed during the war, which have been described as “the worst we have seen anywhere in the world”. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Maud Sarliève 34:36

vor 2 years34:36

34:36

Our guest on Horsehair Wigs this month is Maud Sarliève, a Human Rights and International Criminal Lawyer advocating for creative legal thinking to mitigate climate change and protect the environment. Maud has travelled and worked internationally, on UN backed tribunals, for the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime and for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees , among others. In this interview with Maud, we discuss what the proposed international crime of Ecocide is all about. And we talk to Maud about her current role advising the Office of the Prosecutor General in Ukraine on the investigation and prosecution of war crimes impacting the environment. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Gearóid Ó Cuinn 29:11

vor 2 years29:11

29:11

On our show this month, we speak to Gearóid Ó Cuinn who teaches transnational human rights litigation at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in Galway, Ireland. Gearóid is also head of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) – an organisation which pursues justice across borders for communities directly impacted by human rights abuses. Gearóid and his team have a very interesting portfolio of work, and are currently involved in a landmark climate case to be heard before the European Court for Human Rights in September. The case is being taken by young people from Portugal, who are suing European states over climate change. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid. Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Linda Kasonde 35:10

vor 2 years35:10

35:10

Delighted to have guest, Linda Kasonde with us on the show this month. Linda is a lawyer and civil rights activist from Zambia. In 2016, Linda became the first woman to hold the position of President of the Law Association of Zambia . She stood up to the then ruling government party, the Patriotic Front, at a time when many people didn’t. She now practices in Lusaka, having set up her own NGO – Chapter One Foundation and her own law firm, LCK Chambers . Protecting human rights and the rule of law are central to her work. Linda is widely known for speaking truth to power and in this interview talks to us about her experiences, including those of smear campaigns while at the helm of Zambia’s law association. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid , principally, and solicitors working in the Republic of Ireland, who - when applying for the renewal of their practicing certificates – have made a voluntary contribution to IRLI . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Teresa Doherty 45:31

vor 2 years45:31

45:31

On this month’s show, international Judge Teresa Doherty, who became the first female judge in Northern Ireland and in the entire pacific region, talks to us about her life and work. She grew up a Catholic in Portstewart in Northern Ireland at a time of a very divided Northern Ireland. Catholics were hugely discriminated against, for example, in terms of employment, they were often much poorer and coupled with that, there was huge inequality in terms of women’s rights and men’s rights, especially in terms of education. Her background has significantly influenced her impact in the field of international criminal justice, going on to make landmark rulings related to forced marriage and sexual slavery, and she was a member of the Special Court for Sierra Leone - the first court to rule on the use of child soldiers and convicted a sitting Head of State. Prior to that, Justice Doherty also spent 22 years working in Papua New Guinea, where she worked heavily to highlight the rights of prisoners and women’s rights. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid , principally, and solicitors working in the Republic of Ireland, who - when applying for the renewal of their practicing certificates – have made a voluntary contribution to IRLI . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
The Afghan Judge 32:02

vor 2 years32:02

32:02

Our guest this month is an Afghan judge, who was forced to flee her home country after the Taliban retook Afghanistan in 2021. She managed to escape Afghanistan with her family, following huge efforts by the International Association of Women Judges . In her early thirties and now in Ireland, when she lived in Afghanistan, she worked at the Violence Against Women Court – a court established during the country’s democratic rule. She talks about the legal cases she engaged with then, often including members of the Taliban. She also talks about the current situation in Afghanistan for women and girls. To protect her identity and to ensure the safety of her family in Afghanistan, we have not used her name. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors: Irish Aid , principally, and solicitors working in the Republic of Ireland, who - when applying for the renewal of their practicing certificates – have made a voluntary contribution to IRLI . Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Eva Buzo 38:04

vor 2 years38:04

38:04

Australian barrister and the Executive Director of Victim Advocates International (VAI), Eva Buzo is our guest on this month’s show. Eva has worked extensively with the Rohingya community in the Cox’s Bazare district in Bangladesh, where one of the largest refugee camps in the world in located. She managed a large humanitarian response in 2017/2018, as hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees began arriving into the camp. Her organisation, VAI advocates for and strongly supports victims of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. In this episode, Eva tells us about her work – having spent two years in Cox’s and the impact that the killing of Rohingya activist Mohib Ullah - who had become a friend of hers - had on her life. She also talks about how returning to the sea and sea swimming has helped her find a balance in dealing with a very “adult” job. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors, Irish Aid. Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Shireen Fisher 36:49

vor 2 years36:49

36:49

International judge Shireen Fisher is the next guest on our new podcast. Justice Fisher has been heavily involved in a campaign by the International Association of Women Judges, of which she is a member, in helping female Afghan judges and their families leave Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power in 2021. She talks about the substantial campaign and her prior work with the Special Court for Sierra Leone, now in residual status, and her time as a judge on the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors, Irish Aid. Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Horsehair Wigs

1
Fergal Gaynor 42:10

vor 3 years42:10

42:10

On the first episode of our new monthly podcast, Horsehair Wigs, we meet Irish barrister and international judge, Fergal Gaynor at his home in The Hauge, where he talks about his life and work, and why he does what he does. Fergal has spent almost two decades working in international criminal justice and has brilliant insights into the workings of law and the intricacies of people. Presented and produced by Evelyn McClafferty. With thanks to our donors, Irish Aid. Note: The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of IRLI or Irish Aid.…

Amazon eGift Card - Bright Balloons (Animated)

Apple Watch Series 10 [GPS 42mm case] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminium Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Fitness Tracker, ECG App, Always-On Retina Display, Water Resistant

Tubi: Watch Free Movies & TV Shows

Podcasts, die es wert sind, gehört zu werden

Horsehair Wigs

Horsehair Wigs

Podcasts, die es wert sind, gehört zu werden

Willkommen auf Player FM!

ZELUS Weighted Vest, 6lb/8lb/12lb/16lb/20lb/25lb/30lb Weight Vest with Reflective Stripe for Workout, Strength Training, Running, Fitness, Muscle Building, Weight Loss, Weightlifting, Black(12 lb)

The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

Kurzanleitung