Priya pillai biography sample

I obtained an LL. Negotiated with governments to establish IFRC offices globally. Operational experience of humanitarian contexts, human rights issues, and expertise in transitional justice - connecting the silos! About me. Legal training. There are two main aspects, the first is linking the local and the global. International lawyers tend to focus on the global, international organization sphere, but we need to consider the local and draw international law into local and domestic discussions as well.

This has been a consistent feature throughout my career. The second is the conscious effort to work across various siloes — by working in the humanitarian space with the Red Cross; justice and accountability issues at the Asia Justice Coalition and the ICTY; and academic and legal practice. I also tried to bridge some of these siloes by working on my Ph.

I am proud of the way that I have approached my career. In terms of specifics, I have tried priya pillai biography sample on local grassroots advocacy and bringing the international legal sphere into domestic jurisdictions. It was a nationwide initiative involving testimony by individuals who have survived state and police torture. It was an exercise in humility to hear some of these experiences and realize the value and impact that international legal analysis could have on people on the ground.

These instances gave me a different perspective and still feed into the way that I approach my work. When I was approached by the secretariat of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response to work on a paper on treaty law, it was an opportunity to contribute towards solutions in this global crisis. And of course, it goes without saying perhaps, but I am also very proud of the strides that the Asia Justice Coalition has made, and to be involved in this initiative has been a highlight of the last few years for me.

Could you tell us a little more about the Asia Justice Coalition and what you hope to achieve with it? The Asia Justice Coalition AJC started in with the aim to focus on the atrocities and crimes against the Rohingya by raising international advocacy and legal initiatives. We also wanted to ensure wider coordination between various actors at different levels international, regional, domestic, grassroots organizations, and organizations working with Rohingya in Myanmar and refugee camps.

We partially wanted to use this as a basis to establish AJC as a longer-term initiative working on justice and accountability in Asia. Many of us who are from the region or who have worked in the region for years are aware that there are no regional mechanisms, a lack of appreciation for international law, low rates of ratification of the Rome Statute, and a resistance to using or engaging with these mechanisms.

The Coalition came at the right time, and it is long overdue, but we are here to stay. The priya pillai biography sample levels at which we work: domestic, grassroots, regional, and international are our strength. This is a key part of coalition building and why AJC is successful. It has taken some time, but AJC has picked up steam and we are trying to take initiative on a range of issues considering what is happening in Myanmar.

Hopefully we will continue doing the good work that we are doing. Personally, it is rewarding to see it transform from an idea to something operational. I have had to engage with a large range of issues: legal, political, and administrative. I have also been engaging with multiple stakeholders, trying to bring everyone along while trying to push the agenda.

This has given me better leadership skills, an opportunity to grow, and it has allowed me to take initiative given that AJC is nascent and new. What are some challenges that you have had in your career and how have you tackled them? There are barriers that you face for intersecting reasons; gender, race, geography, and location all come into play.

Unfortunately, sometimes there are automatic assumptions made about you and your abilities, and there is a need to constantly prove yourself. That is particularly true early on but that does not diminish over time. In addition, you will likely confront instances of sexism and racism, and this is something I have experienced in my career. As your career evolves, it will also manifest in different ways.

This is the unfortunate reality of the international legal ecosystem, and you have to figure out how to navigate, approach, and deal with these challenges in a way that works best for you. One of the biggest set of challenges is the existence of siloes and people constantly wanting to put you in a box. One example would be the time period after my Ph.

Despite having over 10 years of legal experience, the assumption was that I was too academic — despite my being clear that the reason I did the Ph. My takeaway then: Do what is in your control. There will be rejections but what matters is how you face these challenges, your skills and what you bring to the table, and your strengths and how you capitalize on them.

Priya pillai biography sample

There are many challenges but the approach and attitude that you take towards these challenges can make the difference between whether it becomes a learning moment that you can build on, or not. In general, there is a disconnect between the local and international—but this dichotomy is not insurmountable. You can make an impact by working international legal issues and developments into domestic spaces.

Do domestic human rights work ; work with NGOs and civil society, especially if you are building a career in international law. For example, there are limited opportunities to work in international law in the Global South because the discourse around international law is not formalized in policy circles and people are not fluent in this discourse.

You can bridge that gap by working in spaces where people are not comfortable with international law and incorporating aspects of international law into your work. This can then open pathways in the international sphere, and the domestic. I have given advice to lawyers working on domestic human rights cases who wanted to incorporate international legal arguments to strengthen their case, even if the appreciation of international law is low in their jurisdictions.

It is crucial and critical that we keep on chipping away, making these arguments, and incorporating them into the work that we do. It can be a long hard slog and it sometimes seems thankless, but this is one of the ways that we need to view and engage with international law. Taking a look back at my two decades, it has not been a linear trajectory compared to some of my classmates who pursued a career in commercial law, for example.

This can be hard and stressful, and I have had many difficult moments over the years in my career. At the basic level, to overcome this you have to be very passionate and committed about what you want to do and how you see yourself doing it. You have to stay the course, and this is easier said than done. There is also no substitute for hard work.

Some things depend on timing or luck, but none of that makes a difference if you do not put in the work. At the end of the day, that is something that people do recognize and give you credit for. People are willing to give you a chance when they know that you are committed, passionate, and hard working. Seize opportunities even if it is something small.

Do not look at things only from a career trajectory viewpoint; follow your heart.