Just Access

If you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, we recommend starting there, where Philip McDonagh introduces the foundations of diplomacy, human rights, and intercivilizational dialogue. In this second part of our conversation with Philip McDonagh, former Irish diplomat and Director of the Centre for Religion, Human Values and International Relations at Dublin City University, we take a closer look at the...

In this first part of our conversation with Philip McDonagh, former Irish diplomat and Director of the Centre for Religion, Human Values and International Relations at Dublin City University, we explore the deeper values that underpin diplomacy, human rights, and peaceful coexistence. Drawing on his experience with the Good Friday Agreement, peacebuilding initiatives in South Asia, and diplomatic...

In this episode we have the honour to speak with Professor Michael O'Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe. From the UN in the former Yugoslavia to leading the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, O'Flaherty describes his role as a "field diplomat" committed to being on the ground where people hurt. We discuss his four strategic priorities: Ukraine, global challenges (AI, clima...

In this second part of our conversation, Dr. Miranda Melcher continues speaking with Sandra Berty about her latest work on violence against mothers —an often overlooked but critical dimension of gender-based violence. Sandra shares insights from her recent submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, explaining why violence against mothers must be recognized as a di...

In this first part of our conversation, we speak with Sandra Berty, an international refugee law and gender-based violence specialist with more than a decade of experience working with UNHCR, UNICEF, IOM and the IRC across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the United States. Sandra shares how her journey into this field began during law school, when she worked with women seeking asylum who...

How can national prosecutors bring justice for atrocities committed abroad? In this episode, Ignacio Baeriswyl explains how domestic courts are increasingly stepping in to prosecute international crimes when global institutions cannot. 🎧 Episode Overview In this episode Dr Miranda Melcher continues her conversation with Ignacio Baeriswyl, a Chile-qualified lawyer and PhD researcher at the Univers...

🎧 Episode Overview In this episode Dr Miranda Melcher speaks with Ignacio Baeriswyl , a Chile‑qualified lawyer who served as an associate legal officer in the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Reparations Section and is currently a lecturer and PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam. Ignacio outlines his professional trajectory—from domestic economic criminal law in Chile to his work at...

In the second part of our conversation with Sabina Grigore , PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam, we take a closer look at the discretionary power of prosecutors and how their decisions fundamentally shape access to justice. Building on the discussion of domestic prosecutions of international crimes, this episode focuses on prosecutors as institutional gatekeepers. Sabina explains how pro...

In this first part of our conversation with Sabina Grigore , PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam, we explore how access to justice is shaped long before a case ever reaches a courtroom. Focusing on international criminal law and transitional justice, the episode examines the often-overlooked role of domestic prosecutors who investigate atrocity crimes committed beyond their borders. Drawi...

In this second part of our conversation with Dr Fekri Dureab , physician-researcher at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, we move from surveillance systems and misinformation to some of the most difficult questions in public health: hunger, disease preparedness, and ethical decision-making in conflict settings . Drawing on his work in Yemen, Somalia, and Iraq , Dr Dureab explains why plann...

n this episode, we sit down with Dr Fekri Dureab, a physician‑researcher at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, to unpack how medical expertise, conflict‑zone realities, and the ever‑growing “info‑demic” intersect on the frontlines of public‑health work. Drawing on his years of hands‑on experience in Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, and beyond, Dr Dureab walks us through the evolution of his career—fr...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. José Reis , Research Analyst at the Portuguese National Cybersecurity Center, and Dr. Marcel Garz , Associate Professor at Jönköping University in Sweden, about how media attention shapes states’ willingness to comply with human rights rulings. Drawing on their 2024 article published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution , “Media Attention and...

In this episode, we begin our conversation with Dr. José Reis , Research Analyst at the Portuguese National Cybersecurity Center, and Dr. Marcel Garz , Associate Professor at Jönköping University in Sweden, about how media attention influences compliance with human rights rulings . Drawing on their 2024 article published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution , “Media Attention and Compliance with...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Joel Bakan , professor of law at the University of British Columbia, award-winning author, and filmmaker, about how corporate power continues to evolve — and threaten — democracy. Building on The Corporation and its sequel The New Corporation: How “Good” Corporations Are Bad for Democracy , Joel unpacks how the rise of so-called “good” corporation...

In this episode, we speak with Joel Bakan , professor of law at the University of British Columbia, award-winning author, and filmmaker, about how corporate power continues to shape — and often undermine — democracy. Drawing on his bestselling book The Corporation and its sequel The New Corporation: How “Good” Corporations Are Bad for Democracy , Joel reflects on two decades of investigating how c...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Kathrin Zangerl, a pediatrician and global health researcher at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, about why children must be at the center of climate change adaptation. Drawing on her clinical experience in Germany and Nepal, as well as her recent Lancet Child & Adolescent Health article analyzing 160 national adaptation plans, Kathrin explains why c...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Martin Perron , a lawyer and developer at the Government of Canada, about how Rules as Code can transform the way we understand and use law. Martin explains how encoding legislation can help identify gaps, run simulations, and even power trustworthy government chatbots. He reflects on the promise of democratizing access to legal knowledge, shares...

In this episode, we speak with Martin Perron , a lawyer and developer at the Government of Canada, about his unconventional path from law school to leading-edge work on Rules as Code . They explore how coding and law can be combined to make legislation clearer, more accessible, and more trustworthy. Martin also reflects on the potential of neuro-symbolic AI in legal applications and offers candid...

In this second part of our compelling discussion on peace and ceasefires, Dr. Miranda Melcher continues the conversation with Dr. Marika Sosnowski and Dr. Sanja Badanjak to explore the evolving landscape of ceasefires and peace agreements. They reflect on key trends from the 2024 data in the PA-X Peace Agreements Database, including the growing shift from comprehensive peace agreements to more fra...

In this episode of the Just Access podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher dives into the complex world of ceasefires with two leading experts: 🧠 Dr. Marika Sosnowski , legal scholar and author of Redefining Ceasefires: Wartime Order and Statebuilding in Syria , and 📊 Dr. Sanja Badanjak , Data Director at PeaceRep and Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh Law School. Together, they explor...

In this second half of our conversation, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Professor Dr. Chidi Oguamanam about the critical intersections of intellectual property, indigenous knowledge systems, and access to justice. Building on Part 1, this episode dives deep into the concept of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), its origins in the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the real-world implicat...

In this powerful first part of our conversation, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Professor Dr. Chidi Oguamanam—legal scholar, researcher, and global voice on sustainable bio-innovation, indigenous knowledge systems, and knowledge governance. Professor Oguamanam explores how intellectual property law is fundamentally an access to justice issue , drawing on his lived experience in rural Africa, his...

In this episode of the Just Access podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Luca Brocca , a master’s student in European Studies at KU Leuven and a long-time member of Just Access. Luca discusses his journey from academic theory to impactful practice in the human rights field through his work with Just Access. Luca has worn many hats in the organization over the past two years: from legal int...

In Part 2 of our compelling conversation, Professors Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves continue to unpack the complex realities of surveillance, privacy, and children’s rights in the digital age. Building on their extensive research and advocacy through The eQuality Project, they explore how tech design, gender, and systemic bias intersect in online environments—and what it means for youth today. To...

In this thought-provoking episode, we speak with Professors Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves, co-leaders of The eQuality Project, a pioneering initiative focused on young people’s experiences of privacy and equality in digitally networked environments. Part 1 of our conversation dives into how surveillance is normalized in educational and social media contexts, why that matters for youth, and what...