New course on "Advocating for Indigenous Women’s Rights through the UN System" to run in spring 2025

HRTS 496b/596b: Cutting Edge Advances in Human Rights

Advocating for Indigenous Women’s Rights through the UN System

Fully online course -- 7 weeks, Spring Session 2 (March-May 2025)

New Course! Advocating for Indigenous Women’s Rights through the UN System is an innovative course crafted in direct response to Indigenous women leaders’ requests for empowerment and practical advocacy skills. Developed in collaboration with Land is Life, a leading NGO in Indigenous human rights, this course provides a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity.

Students will engage with Indigenous women from across the UN’s socio-cultural regions to gain hands-on experience in navigating the UN human rights system. This knowledge is applicable to a wide range of human rights issues, empowering students to support those most in need of advocacy.

Each week, students will learn from high-level guest speakers, including UN Special Rapporteurs, Indigenous leaders, and distinguished scholars, under the guidance of an instructor with three years of experience as a legal advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Through this transformative course, students will actively contribute to advancing Indigenous women’s rights, learning advocacy skills, and engaging in meaningful cross-cultural exchange.

This course is designed to empower Indigenous women and students alike, providing a rare platform for sharing ideas, experiences, and worldviews. By participating, students will not only gain practical skills in human rights advocacy but also contribute to projects that empower Indigenous women and support their fight for justice and visibility on a global stage.

 Join this course to become a part of advancing Indigenous women’s rights and fostering meaningful, cross-cultural connections. 

This course offered by the Program in Human Rights Practice in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. The course format is fully online and includes weekly content, guest lectures, group activities, and individual projects. The course is open to all UA undergraduate and graduate students from AZ Online and Main Campus. The course has no prerequisites, although some prior familiarity with indigenous rights and/or human rights is preferable.  Undergraduate students require the permission of the instructor to enroll.

For more info, contact instructor Elisa Marchi at elisamarchi@arizona.edu