Reviews Write New Review
[email protected]
Madeleine Rees
Activist & Secretary General of the Oldest Women's Peace Organization, WILPF
Madeleine Rees is the Secretary General of the oldest women’s peace organization, WILPF, and courageously exposed human rights abuses related to the sex trade in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Rees began life as a lawyer in 1990 and within four years was made partner in a large UK law firm, specializing in discrimination law. In the UK, she also worked on behalf of both the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission, mainly on developing strategies to establish rights under domestic law. Extending her skills to the international sphere, Rees brought cases to the European Court of Human Rights and The European Court in Luxembourg. She was cited as one of the leading lawyers in the field of discrimination in the Chambers directory of British lawyers.
In 1998 Rees began working for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as the gender expert and Head of Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina. From September 2006 to April 2010, she served as the Head of the Women’s Rights and Gender Unit. Supporting the OHCHR’s extensive work on the issue of trafficking, Rees was a member of the expert coordination group of the trafficking task force of the Stability Pact, which was then known as the Alliance against Trafficking.
The aims of her work at the OHCHR were: To describe and outline how men and women can experience events differently, particularly in post-conflict situations. To better understand and interpret the concept of Security, by drawing on human rights law and humanitarian law. To make the human rights machinery more responsive and therefore more effective from a gender perspective.
Rees is portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave in Laryssa Kondracki’s film “The Whistleblower,” about Nebraska cop Kathryn Bolkovac’s experience in Bosnia uncovering sex trafficking.
Videos
Speech Topics
Using law to describe the different experiences of men and women, particularly in post-conflict situations
The rule of law and transitional justice in protecting social and economic rights
UN peacekeepers and human trafficking
Immunity and impunity in peacebuilding
Syria’s peace process
News
Related Speakers View all
Angela Davis
Feminist, Social Activist, Professor & Writer
|
|
Nkechi Taifa
Civil & Human Rights Attorney, Best-Selling Author, ...
|
|
Loretta Ross
Founder of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive He...
|
|
Emma Watson
Actress, Model & Activist; UN Women Goodwill Ambassa...
|
|
Amber Hikes
Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, ACLU
|
|
Amali Tower
Climate Displacement, Migration & Refugee Expert; Fo...
|
|
Maya Wiley
President & CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civi...
|
|
Jamira Burley
Head of Youth Engagement & Skills for the Global Bus...
|
|
Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda
Zimbabwean Human Rights Lawyer, World YWCA General S...
|
|
Kimberly Bryant
Founder & CEO of Ascend Ventures & Black Innovation ...
|
|
Alaa Murabit
Architect of the Sustainable Development Goals, Nobe...
|
|
Maya L. Harris
Influential Voice at the Intersection of Politics, P...
|
|
Karima Bennoune
Professor of International Law, Author, "Your Fatwa ...
|
|
Claudia Chan
Transformational Speaker; Creator of S.H.E. Summit™ ...
|
|
Valerie Jarrett
Civic Leader, New York Times Best-Selling Author & F...
|
|
Dr. Bernice King
Civil Rights Leader, Minister, Attorney, Author & Da...
|
|
Ashley Allison
Obama-Biden Senior Staffer, National Coalitions Dire...
|
|
Vednita Carter
Anti-Sex Trafficking Activist, Author & Founder of B...
|
|
Taina Bien-Aimé
Lawyer, Activist & Founding Member of Equality Now
|
|
Hina Jilani
Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan; Member of...
|