International Women's Day 2019
On this important day for all women, the Academy would like to highlight the distinguished group of women professors and guest lecturers that enrich our courses with diverse experiences and provide a critical gender perspective essential to the advancement of human rights. Their accomplishments are a testament not only to their capacity as experts, but much more to the immeasurable impact they have made in the human rights field.
![Abi-Mershed](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/elizabeth_abi-mershed_resized.jpg.png)
Elizabeth Abi-Mershed
Former Assistant Executive Secretary, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States, (OAS), Washington, D.C.
![Santiago](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/catalina_botero_resized.png)
Catalina Botero
Former Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS) and Dean of Law, University of Los Andes, Colombia
![Santiago](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/laurence_burgorgue-larsen_resized_1.png)
Laurence Burgorgue-Larsen
Judge Constitutional Court of Andorra and Professor at the Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, Paris, France
![Abi-Mershed](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/helen-duffy.jpg)
Hellen Duffy
Founder, Human Rights in Practice and Professor of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at the University of Leiden
![Santiago](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/maria_clara_galvis_resized.png)
María Clara Galvis
Vice-chair, Committee on Enforced Disappearances, United Nations
![John Cerone](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/daniela_kravetz_resized.png)
Daniela Kravetz
Special Rapporteur on the State of Affairs of Human Rights in Eritrea, UN
![Abi-Mershed](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/viviana_krsticevic2.jpg.png)
Viviana Kristicevic
Executive Director, Center for Justice and International Law, Washington, D.C.
![Santiago](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/siobhan_mcinerney-lankford_resized.jpg.png)
Siobhan McInerney-Lankford
Senior Counsel, The World Bank, Washington, D.C.
![John Cerone](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/julissa_mantilla_resized.png)
Julissa Mantilla
Professor of Law, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, and International Consultant on Justice from Gender Perspective, Perú
![Abi-Mershed](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/claudia_martin_resized.jpg)
Claudia Martin
Co-director and Professional Lecturer in residence, Academy of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.
![Santiago](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/tara_melish_resized.png)
Tara Melish
Director and Professor of Law, Buffalo Human Rights Center, SUNY Buffalo Law School, State University of New York, NY
![John Cerone](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/flavia_piovesan_resized.png)
Flavia Piovesan
Commissioner, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States, Washington, D.C.
![Abi-Mershed](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/margaret_roggensack_resized.jpg)
Margaret Ellen Roggensack
Interim Executive Director, Accountability Roundtable, Washington, D.C.
![Santiago](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/macarena_saez_resized(1).png)
Macarena Sáez
Director, Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.
![John Cerone](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/helene_tigroudja_resized.png)
Hélène Tigroudja
Member, Human Rights Committee, UN
![Upreti](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/final_upreti.png)
Melissa Upreti
Member, Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice, United Nations
Guest lecturer,
Women & International Human Rights Law
![Waisman](https://www.wcl.american.edu/wcl-american-edu/assets/Image/initiatives_and_programs/academy_for_human_rights/2017-professors/viviana_waisman_resized.jpg)
Viviana Waisman
Founder, President and CEO of Women's Link Worldwide, Spain