The Institute for the Study of Human Rights organized an international symposium, Human Rights Impact: General Issues and Sectoral Perspectives, on May 11 and 12, 2010. Nearly 50 scholars, policymakers, advocates and donors gathered to discuss questions of how the effects of human rights programs and policies can be understood and evaluated.  Specific sessions dealt with press freedoms, international justice, women's rights, measurement and indicators, development and ethical dilemmas.  An article on the symposium will be published in the October issue of ISHR's newsletter, RightsNews.

Yasmine Ergas, Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights & Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, discusses human rights measurements and indicators at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Tim Shenk.

A group of panelists, including Emily Murase of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, Lee Anne Waldorf of UNIFEM, Martina Rieker of American University of Cairo, Eugenia McGill of Columbia University, Beth Simmons of Harvard University, and Yasmine Ergas of Columbia University discuss women’s rights at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Belen Sanz Luque, Evaluation Advisor & Evaluation Unit Head of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, speaks about women’s rights at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Yasmine Ergas, Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights & Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, and Andrew Nathan, Class of 1919 Professor of Political Science & Chair of the Administrative Committee for the Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University, listen attentively to a colleague’s presentation at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Macartan N. Humphreys, Associate Professor of Political Science & Director of the Center for the Study of Development Strategies at Columbia University, speaks about development at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Margaret L. Satterthwaite, Associate Professor of Clinical Law & Faculty Director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University School of Law, speaks about human rights measurements and indicators at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

A group of participants, including Elazar Barkan, Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights & Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, and Beth Simmons, Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University, among others, listen attentively to a colleague’s presentation at the human rights impact symposium.

Martina Rieker, Director of the Cynthia Nelson Institute for Gender and Women's Studies & Assistant Professor at the American University of Cairo, observes a panel discussion at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Kathryn Sikkink, Regents Professor & McKnight Presidential Chair in Political Science at the University of Minnesota, listens attentively to a colleague’s presentation at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

The official event poster of the human rights impact symposium – “Human Rights Impact: General Issues and Sectoral Perspectives, a Symposium hosted by the Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University, Jerome Greene Annex, May 11-12, 2010.” Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Jack Snyder, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Relations of the Department of Political Science and the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University, listens attentively to a colleague’s presentation at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Dirk Salomons, Director of the International Organizations Specialization & Director of the Program for Humanitarian Affairs at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, observes a panel discussion at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Participants take notes on their colleagues’ presentations at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Anja Mihr of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) & Associate Professor of Law, Economics and Governance at Utrecht University, listens attentively to a colleague’s presentation on international justice at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Geanne Rosenberg, Associate Professor & Founding Chair of the Department of Journalism and the Writing Professions at Baruch College, Jack Snyder, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Relations of the Department of Political Science and the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University, and Paul Gready, Director of the Centre for Applied Human Rights & Professor of Politics at University of York, observe a panel discussion at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Emily Murase, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, speaks about women’s rights at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Tim Shenk.

Sally Merry Engle, Director of the Program on Law and Society & Professor of Anthropology at New York University, speaks about human rights measurements and indicators at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Sheila S. Coronel , director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, speaks about press freedom at the human rights impact symposium.  Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Susannah Sirkin, deputy director of Physicians for Human Rights, asks a questions during the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Eugenia McGill, assistant director of the economic and political development concentration at the School of International and Public Affairs, speaks about women's rights at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Beth Simmons, Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University, speaks about women's rights at the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

Stefan Voigt, director of the Institute of Law and Economics at the University of Hamburg, asks a question during the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.

David Cingranelli, co-director of the CIRI Human Rights Data Project, speaks about human rights measurement and indicators during the human rights impact symposium. Photo by Nicole Schilit.