19 April 2021
Diego Ruiz Gayol is a Mexican diplomat working at the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva where he is in charge of human rights issues. He is following the work of the UN Human Rights Council and of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. His main areas of expertise are civil and political rights and gender equality.
Previously, he was Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Mexico in Haiti and consular and protection officer at the Embassy of Mexico in Peru.
Diego completed our Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict in 2020
I was looking for a programme that would help me to deepen my understanding of international law, in particular international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL), while pursuing at the same time my diplomatic career as a delegate of my country to the UN. The Geneva Academy, at the heart of international Geneva, and with a long tradition in the study of these subjects, was the ideal place to do it.
Yes, this master programme fulfilled my expectations and was a great investment of my time. I really appreciated the very high quality of the faculty and the rich mix of students in terms of cultures, backgrounds, fields of expertise and worldviews.
The programme gave me the legal theoretical knowledge that allowed me to perform better as a diplomat at different multilateral fora dealing with human rights and IHL. It opened the possibility of reaching positions in the future that require strong legal specialization.
Yes, I would recommend it to professionals that are at the beginning or at the middle of their career, and who may need to strengthen their understanding of international law, in particular in the fields of human rights, IHL and international criminal law. Balancing professional and academic responsibilities can sometimes be challenging, but the rewards and satisfactions that come during the programme and at the end of it, make the journey worthwhile.
News
Mona Koehler-Schindler
Mona Koehler-Schindler works at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and follows the programme online.
News
During one week, Francesca Gortan, Sarah Surget and Sophie Timmermans represented the Geneva Academy at the 38th Edition of the Jean-Pictet Competition that took place in Durrës, Albania, from 19 to 26 March.
Short Course
ICRC
This short course, which can be followed in Geneva or online, provides an in-depth study of an emblematic example of the complexity of international humanitarian law and the challenges it raises: the classification of armed conflicts.
Short Course
UN Photo/Manuel Elias
This short course, which can be followed in Geneva or online, provides an introduction to the regime of sanctions under international law and their effectiveness in addressing contemporary forms of conflict. It addresses the questions related to state responsibility, the pacific settlement of international disputes and the role of the International Court of Justice.
Project
CCPR Centre
This project examined how IHL could be more systematically, appropriately and correctly dealt with by the human rights mechanisms emanating from the UN Charter, as well as from universal and regional treaties.
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.
Publication
Publication
Canva