
GHRH Scholars Programme (Summer)
7 July - 11 August 2025
The GHRH Scholars Programme 2025 (Summer) is a dynamic, six-week educational series designed to empower young scholars with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and advocate for girls' human rights in a rapidly changing world.
This programme brings together world-renowned experts to guide participants through an in-depth exploration of global human rights issues impacting girls today. Each session will cover a specific theme, providing both academic insights and practical strategies to address these pressing issues.
Programme Overview:
Duration: 6 Weeks (One lecture & discussion per week)
Format: Each week, a 90-minute session will consist of:
45-minute Lecture from an expert speaker
45-minute Q&A and Interactive Discussion
Delivered online to enable participants from all over the world to attend.
Participants: University students, young professionals, and advocates (ages 16-24)
Objectives
The GHRH Scholars Programme aims to:
Provide participants with a deep understanding of pressing issues related to girls' human rights.
Create a platform for exchange between scholars, practitioners, and experts.
Encourage collaborative problem-solving and advocacy strategies.
Build knowledge and skills in research, public speaking, and policy-making.
Weekly Topics
Week 1: Breaking Barriers: Equality in Education, Sports, and Menstrual Equity
Date: 7th July 2025
Focus: Explore systemic barriers to education and sports participation for girls, and discuss the impact of menstrual inequity on education and health.
Speaker: Dr. Inga Winkler
Week 2: Creating Safe Spaces: Protecting Girls in Public and Online
Date: 14th July 2025
Focus: Discuss strategies for ensuring girls’ safety in public spaces and online. Examine legal frameworks and the role of technology in protecting girls’ rights.
Speaker: Philippa Webb, Professor of Public International Law, University of Oxford and the Blavatnik School of Government
Week 3: Ending Harmful Practices: FGM and Child Marriage
Date: 21st July 2025
Focus: Examine the legal and cultural context of FGM and child marriage, their impacts on girls' rights, and the global efforts to end these harmful practices.
Speaker: (Tbc)
Week 4: Global Interconnected Challenges: Climate Justice and Trafficking & Modern Slavery
Date: 28th July 2025
Focus: Discuss the intersection of climate justice and human trafficking, and how climate-induced displacement exacerbates the vulnerability of girls to trafficking and exploitation.
Speaker: (Tbc)
Week 5: Ending Gender-Based Violence: Domestic and Sexual Violence
Date: 4th August 2025
Focus: Investigate the prevalence of gender-based violence, with a focus on domestic and sexual violence, and explore the legal frameworks in place to combat these abuses.
Speaker: (Tbc)
Week 6: Justice in Conflict Zones: Sexual Violence and International Law
Date: 11th August 2025
Focus: Examine the role of international law in addressing sexual violence during armed conflicts and the advocacy efforts required to ensure justice for survivors.
Speaker: Patricia Sellers, International Criminal Lawyers and Former Special Advisor for Gender for the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
Programme Structure:
- Week 1-4: Focus on understanding critical human rights issues impacting girls globally, from education and safety to harmful practices and global crises.
- Week 5-6: Delve into more complex challenges, such as gender-based violence and the intersection of sexual violence and international law.
Key Features of the Programme:
Expert-led Discussions: Each lecture is led by a renowned academic or legal expert prestigious institutions.
Interactive Format: 45-minute discussions after each lecture allow scholars to engage with speakers, ask questions, and discuss the real-world application of the issues covered.
Global Perspective: The programme will incorporate case studies and examples from diverse regions to highlight the universal nature of girls' human rights issues.
Practical Solutions: Focus on equipping participants with actionable knowledge they can apply to their advocacy efforts or future legal careers.
Meet the Experts
-
Patricia Sellers
International Criminal Lawyer and Former Special Advisor for Gender for the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
-
Philippa Web
Professor of Public International Law, University of Oxford and the Blavatnik School of Government
-
Dr. Inga Winkler
Associate Professor in Human Rights at Wageningen University
-
Patricia Viseur Sellers, an international criminal lawyer. She teaches on the law faculty of the University of Oxford. She is a Visiting Fellow of Kellogg College and a Fellow at the Bonavero Human Rights Center at the University of Oxford. She is the former Special Advisor for Slavery Crimes to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Previously, she served as Special Advisor for Gender to the Prosecutor. From 1994-2007 she was the Legal Advisor for Gender, Acting Head of the Legal Advisory Section and a prosecutor at the Yugoslav Tribunal (ICTY). She served as the Legal Advisor for Gender at the Rwanda Tribunal (ICTR) from 1995-1999. Ms. Sellers was a prosecutor on the trial teams of Akayesu, Furundzija, Kunarac, Nikolic, Oric and Stankovic. She has developed legal strategies that led to landmark decisions regarding sexual violence as constitutive conduct of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, torture and enslavement under international criminal law.
Ms. Sellers advises governments and civil society on international criminal law issues. She has lectured extensively and authored numerous articles, including, ‘Missing in Action: The International Crime of the Slave Trade’, 'Wartime Female Slavery: Enslavement?' and 'The International Crimes of Slavery and the Slave Trade: A Feminist Critique." She has testified as an expert witness before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the cases of J. v. Peru, Favela Nova Brasilia v. Brazil, Albarracín v. Ecuador and Lima and Others v. Colombia. She is the recipient of the prestigious Goler T. Butcher Medal and the Prominent Women in International Law Award by the American Society of International Law. She is a member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of International Law. She holds an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the City University of New York, as well as an Honorary Fellow for Lifetime Achievement from the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania, her alma mater.
-
Philippa Webb is Professor of Public International Law, University of Oxford and the Blavatnik School of Government. In October 2025, she is launching the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice in partnership with the Clooney Foundation for Justice. She is also a barrister at Twenty Essex and has appeared before the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the European Court of Human Rights and the UK Supreme Court. Philippa has held positions in the Presidency of the International Court of Justice, the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court and in United Nations Headquarters. In her human rights practice she has represented an individual who have been allegedly subjected to modern slavery and persons who claim to have been harassed through a State’s use of spyware. Philippa has represented small island States in international climate litigation and she is counsel to States intervening in cases concerning genocide. Her publications include Freedom of Speech in International Law (2024, chapters on insulting speech and false speech, A Clooney & D Neuberger eds), The Right to a Fair Trial in International Law (2021, with A Clooney), Oppenheim’s International Law: United Nations (2017, with Dame Rosalyn Higgins GBE KC, D Akande, S Sivakumaran and J Sloan), and The Law of State Immunity (2015, with Lady Fox KC).
-
Inga Winkler is an Associate Professor in Human Rights at Wageningen University with a research focus on public health and gender justice. Her research on menstruation spans questions of lived experiences, social mobilization and policy-making with particular attention to addressing stigmatization and marginalization. Her work has been supported through grants of the European Commission, foundations and UN agencies. Inga is the co-chair of a standing Seminar on Menstruation & Society at Columbia University and the co-editor of the Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies. Prior to joining Wageningen University, Inga was on the faculty at the Central European University in Vienna and at Columbia University in City of New York.
Who Can Join?
Who can join?
Any students aged 17-24 years plus who are interested in advancing girls’ rights. No prior experience is required—just a willingness to learn, collaborate, and contribute.
Programme Expectations
1. Engagement: Active participation is encouraged, with respect for differing viewpoints.
2. Attendance: Participants should strive to attend all sessions to maximize the learning experience.
3. Commitment: Scholars are encouraged to dedicate approximately 2-3 hours per session (including preparation and attendance).
Benefit for Participants
- Gain insights from leading experts in the field of human rights.
- Build a strong network with like-minded scholars and practitioners.
- Develop critical skills in advocacy, public speaking, and policy analysis.
- Receive a certificate of completion for active participation in all sessions.
Register.
To secure your spot in the GHRH Scholars Programme, participants need to complete the process as follows:
Members/ Our Community: £25 to participate in the programme.
Non-members: £35 to participate in the programme.
Important: After you complete the form, click the payment link. You will be accepted onto the course once we receive both the form and payment. please complete both at the same time. Once you have been accepted onto the course, payments cannot be refunded or transferred.
Please make sure the payment is correct. If you haven't paid or have paid less than required, your spot in the course will be canceled automatically, even if you have received an acceptance email. If you request a refund, there is a £25 fee.
Included in the Fee:
Access to all 6 sessions of expert-led sessions.
Assignments and Reflection Activities.
Certificate of Completion. Upon completing the programme, you'll receive a certificate to add to your CV and LinkedIn profile, showcasing your dedication to girls' human rights.
Course Materials. Access to session recordings and additional reading resources to deepen your understanding of each topic.
Interactive Platform. Live sessions via Zoom.
Send us an email at admin@ghrh.org if you have any questions. By submitting your application form and payment, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the Terms and Conditions.