By: Lily Pelletier
This semester, I began working with Regent’s Center for Global Justice as the first law school extra-curricular in my first year. After a grueling but rewarding first semester of Torts, Contracts, and Property, I was delighted to be able to start working on my true passion: International Human Rights. My work at the Center has made me more educated, exposed me to the needs of this world, and encouraged me to become a faithful advocate for the less fortunate members of the body of Christ.
While working at the Center, I have the opportunity to research not only the top news stories regarding international religious persecution but also the status of the law. This semester, my team and I began researching the cases heard by the United Nations Human Rights Committee regarding Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which discusses a variety of freedoms relating to religion. This research familiarized me with the types of cases the Committee hears, and the process victims endure when attempting to achieve justice on an international scale.
Before coming to Regent, I was heavily involved in advocacy and policy work regarding victims of persecution abroad. It was difficult for me to discontinue the work I truly felt the Lord calling me to. However, through working with the Center for Global Justice, I realized how vital a Juris Doctorate is in enforcing and encouraging legal change. I also learned about new avenues in which to pursue justice.
Each new project at the Center for Global Justice breaks my heart and challenges me. I continue to learn about the deep need for attorneys with strong convictions working on international issues. After all, our brothers and sisters abroad are equally members of the body of Christ. The students and faculty at the Center then work together to encourage each other in our faith and discern what the Lord asks us to do with these challenges.
Working with the Center has better prepared me intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually for practicing international human rights law through providing research opportunities, exposing me to the need for this type of law, and providing a community of like-minded attorneys and attorneys-to-be to encourage my faith as we pursue justice.
This post was written by a student at Regent University School of Law. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.