2 February 2021
In this interview, Émilie Charpentier, currently enrolled in our LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (LLM) tells us about the programme and life in Geneva.
My name is Émilie and I am from Montreal, the French-speaking region of Canada. Before starting the LLM at the Geneva Academy, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in International Relations and International Law at the University of Quebec in Montreal. During my undergrad, I participated in various international competitions during which I developed a passion for international law, more precisely, international humanitarian law (IHL). I love to travel and have had the opportunity to visit a number of countries over the years, which has allowed me to meet people from several regions and nourish my humanistic side.
I had been considering the LLM at the Geneva Academy since the second year of my undergrad. I was already interested in IHL and human rights because I want to use the law to make a positive change. My undergrad programme was more general, and it was important for me to specialize as an international jurist. All aspects of the programme were appealing: the opportunity to take exclusively international law courses, the high quality of the education, and its location in Geneva, which is a hub for IHL.
I am truly enjoying my experience at the Geneva Academy. The programme is very well designed and coordinated. The high quality of the teaching has met my expectations, and we study in-depth legal issues within different international law branches. I also appreciate that the students come from across the globe, with different experiences and backgrounds, which fosters interesting discussions and allows us to exchange perspectives.
I would recommend this programme to anyone who wants to specialize in this field. Not only will it give you a strong knowledge, but you will also have the opportunity to choose optional courses to study specific subjects within your own areas of interest.
My goal is to work in the field for an international organization, ideally as a legal advisor. I would like to help implement IHL and work to promote respect for human rights. I am also interested in taking part in humanitarian missions in zones of armed conflict to gain a better understanding of the reality on the ground. I am open to any opportunity that may arise, and I have no doubt that my training at the Geneva Academy will help me reach my goals.
I chose to be photographed in front of the ICRC Headquarters because this was the organization that sparked my interest in IHL. When I learned about the work of the ICRC, both its research and its fieldwork, I was inspired to practice in this branch of international law.
News
Revaz Tkemaladze
As every year and in the framework of the IHL core course given by Professor Marco Sassòli, twenty students of our LLM in IHL and Human Rights pleaded on the 2014 armed conflict in and around Gaza.
News
European Humanitarian Forum
Our Director Professor Gloria Gaggioli participated in the European Humanitarian Forum that took place in Brussels from 21 to 23 March 2022.
Short Course
ICRC
This short course, which can be followed in Geneva or online, discusses the protection offered by international humanitarian law (IHL) in non-international armed conflicts (NIACs) and addresses some problems and controversies specific to IHL of NIACs, including the difficulty to ensure the respect of IHL by armed non-state actors.
Short Course
ICRC
This short course, which can be followed in Geneva or online, will provide participants with an introduction to substantive human rights law. It will start with an introduction to the nature and sources of international human rights law and its place in the international legal system. The course will then provide a presentation of the main principles applicable to substantive rights (jurisdiction, obligation and limitations).
Project
Dave Klassen/The EITI
This project aims to further identify and clarify policies and practices for States and business, including public and private investors, across the full ‘conflict cycle’ and the ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ pillars of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Project
CCPR Centre
The Geneva Human Rights Platform collaborates with a series of actors to reflect on the implementation of international human rights norms at the local level and propose solutions to improve uptake of recommendations and decisions taken by Geneva-based human rights bodies at the local level.
Publication
Publication