Interview with Human Rights Master’s Student, Pablo Fernández

Pablo holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA) from the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights (EIUC) and the University of Strasbourg. His research interests include democratization, conflict mediation, transitional justice, and the role of the European Union as a Global Human Rights actor. He has worked as Project Assistant at UNESCO since January 2017

Pablo Fernández is a CISVer from Madrid, and he and his sister are involved locally in CISV Spain. In 2014, Pablo participated in an IPP in Germany, on a project on Peace Education looking at the legacy of the Nazi regime and transforming a former Nazi school into a Human Rights Education Centre. More recently, Pablo embarked on a journey to learn about Human Rights amongst students and professionals of the field from all around the world while living in Venice and Strasbourg. It is to discuss this experience as Human Rights Master’s student that we invited Pablo to speak with us. We hope you enjoy and get inspired by his words as much as we did.

Pablo, please tell us about your research topic.
P: First of all, I want to thank the Human Rights Campaign team for giving me the opportunity to share some experiences and thoughts with all of you – makes me very proud to be part of this diverse and vibrant community. Within the field of human rights, I’m especially interested in transitional processes, specifically in the way societies recover from gross human rights violations, and which institutional, social, and cultural responses can help to advance towards the consolidation of Peace.

What made you decide to get into the field of Human Rights?

P: Very honestly I was very inspired by the work of Mary Robinson. She served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and as President of Ireland.  She is also a global advocate for Women’s Rights. I came across some of her speeches and was given her memoir, “Everybody Matters”, as a gift some years ago. Her understanding of the notion of equality made a very big impact on me. Later on, the story of Sergio Vieira de Mello, also former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, inspired me in the same way.

Can you tell us about what it is like to be a Master’s student in this field?

P: As a student of European Master’s in Human Rights and Democratization, I had the opportunity to learn about different dimensions of human rights, from the philosophical or anthropological to the purely legal conception of rights. The programme shaped an understanding of human rights that is very linked to the concept of empathy. Through our interactions we became aware of each other’s aspirations and suffering, we learn to think of ‘the others’ as similar to us in some fundamental manner, and that is powerful.

“Let’s Walk to the Middle of the Ocean”
By Mark Bradford
(1961, United States)

Mark Bradford used materials found in the streets around his studio in Los Angeles to do this work described as “social abstraction”. The painting remembers the emergence of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980’s, which shaped Mark Bradford’s young adulthood as a gay man who was part of a nightclub community in Los Angeles. He has found innovative to integrate the traditions of abstract painting with contemporary American sociopolitical issues. As noted before in this blog, human rights issues can be found and expressed in different ways, including through art. Each one of us find different ways to communicate how we see and feel things, but it is important to keep our hearts open to listen to others, and to give and find comfort when needed.

What do you see as a big challenge for a professional who works in the field of human rights?

P: Today, a number of challenges pose a direct threat to the values that shape international human rights law: xenophobic populism, inequalities, the rise of narratives fostering hatred, the presence of misogyny in society, the violation of the fundamental rights of refugees, very limited space in many countries for civil society, or the systemic discrimination against minorities. These challenges are all predicated on fear. CISV brings people together precisely to tackle them and to foster mutual understanding. Despite all these obstacles I do believe that outstanding social progress has been achieved in the last few decades. That should help us to build a forward-directed energy to keep advancing.

What do you see as key to success to develop Human Rights Education?

P: I think that dignity and mutual respect should be central. Besides that, I believe in an understanding of universalism based on recognizing the richness of diversity.

Are there any connections between your experiences in CISV and your research?

P: Undoubtedly, CISV enabled me to connect with a wide range of realities and traditions, and that is extremely valuable in any sphere of life. In a way, it makes you aware of the complexity of everyone’s background. To be in touch with diversity makes your level of consciousness rise.

What do you see as the strengths of CISV in the area of human rights education?

P: CISV is definitely well-placed to champion the issue of human rights education, and it has the power to showcase the idea that every culture provides a valuable key to understand the world. To come together valuing diversity enables you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

What aspects do you think can be improved?

P: I think we have to reflect on how to get our message across more effectively when speaking to the unlike-minded. I am aware that in many countries CISV is not accessible to a majority of the population because of different reasons, including socioeconomic backgrounds, and I am concerned about that.

As we move into 2018, what advice would you give CISVers about studying or working with Human Rights?

P: I have a hard time giving advice. In any case, I’m not in a position to do so, but I would share a thought that I try to keep in mind: pay attention – try to keep your eyes and ears open. Make sure you are aware of what is happening around you (not always easy these days). With your ability to listen, even just with your presence, you have the power to be a driving force for positive change. Let’s finish with the words of a human rights’ champion, Stéphane Hessel: ‘To create is to resist; To resist is to create’.

The Human Rights Campaign Team thanks Pablo for kindly collaborating with our blog! We are inspired by the words of a CISVer who has brought so many of the experiences and values he developed in CISV to his life. He is now also giving back much of what he learned in his paths outside CISV to enrich our thoughts inside the organization. We couldn’t miss the fact that Pablo often talks about Diversity demonstrating how close this concept is connected to Human Rights. There is beauty in diversity and it should bring us together instead of apart; We have many reasons to value our differences and learn about respecting who we are no matter who we are. After all, human rights are rights for all human beings, no matter where we are born, our sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. What a nice way to start thinking about our 2018 Peace Education Content Area, Diversity!

Many thanks to Pablo and our readers!

– Human Rights Campaign Team