Building a Career in International Human Rights with Diane Goodman: Advice for Entering a Challenging, but Rewarding Field.

By: Rachel Brouwer (1L)

Photo Credit: University of Toronto (Alumni)

“If you want to know what you’ll be doing in 30 years, this isn’t the career for you,” says Diane Goodman–an accomplished international human rights lawyer–who recently visited UofT law to discuss her experience building a career in international human rights. For the UofT law students looking to chart a path other than the one to Bay Street, the route forward can feel much more like traversing through mountains than taking a steady ride on fresh pavement. However, just because navigating a career in international human rights law is non-linear does not mean that it’s not possible. 

IHRP Director James Yap opened Goodman’s talk and shared that there is simply no recipe for building a career in international human rights law. Yap stated that working in international human rights requires creativity, innovation, and, frankly, a bit more appetite for risk and entrepreneurialism. However, this is the price to pay for work that can ultimately be much more rewarding and exciting. Goodman’s career provides a great example of this reality in action. 

Goodman’s Journey to a Career in International Human Rights 

Like many UofT alumni, Goodman started her career on Bay Street. After discovering that this was not for her, she spent time travelling, which catalyzed her career switch to international human rights law. When Goodman returned from her travels, she joined the LLM program at UofT, which led her to a role at the Institute of Women’s Law at the University of Oslo. Through this position, Goodman travelled to Zimbabwe to do research and fieldwork on the rights of women and children. Goodman was deeply impressed by the work of the NGOs she observed in Zimbabwe and decided that working in field operations was a clear way for her to use her skills and meaningfully help others.

Protecting Women and Children Refugees in Ngara, Tanzania  

When Goodman was starting her new career, most international organizations were not interested in hiring lawyers. A background in health or engineering was appealing, but being a lawyer was not. However, through grit and persistence, Goodman knocked on doors until one opened. This is when she began working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Goodman’s first role with the UNHCR landed her in Ngara, Tanzania, as a Protection Officer. Goodman arrived in Tanzania at the end of the Rwandan genocide and worked with refugees fleeing the conflict. Her makeshift home in Ngara consisted of living out of a safari tent and taking showers with buckets of hot water. Reflecting on the experience, Goodman said, “I really liked this, but you have to like this–I couldn’t believe I had this job.”

Despite Goodman’s clear passion for fieldwork, this was a challenging role. Goodman received minimal training and had to deal with challenges including insurgents hiding amongst the refugee population and men frequently trying to take control of the refugee camps. When she introduced herself as a Protection Officer to a Tanzanian police officer in one of the camps, he jokingly said, “And who do you protect?” Although they both laughed at the insinuation, there was no doubt that Goodman played an essential role in protecting people in these camps. Goodman worked on family separation cases, dedicated her time to women’s issues, and ensured unaccompanied children had a safe place to go. Notably, she also recorded testimony later used during the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Working with Bhutanese Refugees in Kathmandu, Nepal

Later on in Goodman’s career, she worked with Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. Goodman noted that Nepal was a very different kind of situation than Ngara. The refugee situation in Nepal was longstanding. Refugees fled Bhutan and had been living in Nepal for 20 years–but there was simply no solution for them. Nepal did not allow the Bhutanese refugees to acquire citizenship, and Bhutan would not allow their return. The only option was resettlement, which was a very rare possibility that was usually only done when refugees had serious protection needs or experienced trauma or gender-based violence. 

Now in a more senior role, Goodman was the UNHCR Deputy Representative in Nepal and coordinated the entire Bhutanese refugee resettlement program. This program was a significant operation which included interviewing refugees and preparing them for life in Canada and the US. To aid the transition process, Goodman worked with a photographer who set up an exhibition to show the refugees what life looked like in the US. Afterwards, she participated in Q&A sessions to address concerns held by the refugees, such as how cold it would be or whether they would be able to find the spices they needed to cook their favourite foods. 

Gender-based violence was a significant problem in the refugee camps. Goodman worked with the same photographer and an expert psychologist to engage with male refugees in a creative and educational program to challenge conceptualizations of masculinity. The photographer gave the men cameras and photography skills, and asked them to capture images of men and women in non-traditional roles. At the end of the program, they hosted another exhibition where participants showcased their work in the refugee camps. Goodman enjoyed working in different, creative ways, and to her, this type of work constitutes a career in international human rights law.

Navigating the 2015 European Refugee Crisis

After Nepal, Goodman became the Deputy Director of the UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Europe. In 2015, the war in Syria incited a mass mobilization of refugees fleeing to Europe. Goodman stated, “Europe was completely unprepared [and had] the worst conditions I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world in terms of reception conditions for refugees.” Describing the dire situation, Goodman highlighted that “everyone was slow to the game,” and sometimes NGOs were criminalized for their efforts, such as rescuing refugees from small boats at sea. 

While Europe was significantly underprepared, Goodman noted that a unique feature of this emergency was how volunteers stepped up. Whether charging cell phones or providing food, many Europeans contributed however they could. Unfortunately, European countries quickly started closing their borders, which increased tensions and complicated the situation massively. Goodman and her colleague were at the Serbia-Hungary border just as it was closing, and as tensions grew, they were tear-gassed along with a group of refugees. As Deputy Director, Goodman predominantly engaged in advocacy-based work, which required her to consult with governments and NGOs to improve the situation. At one point during the crisis, refugees were living in warehouses in appalling conditions, but Goodman’s team secured more stable and improved living conditions, which was a significant win. 

Addressing Systemic Issues within the UNHCR 

In Goodman’s final position with the UNHCR, she was the Senior Coordinator for the Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment. Here, she was part of a broader effort to tackle sexual harassment within the UNHCR. Goodman noted that this position was created following the #MeToo movement, which prompted interest in improving the UNHCR’s internal systems and addressing shortcomings. Goodman worked with a multifunctional team to create NotOnlyMe, a platform that facilitates reporting incidents of sexual harassment. The platform’s primary goal is to encourage more people to seek support. 

The UNHCR has a mandatory retirement age, but Goodman prefers to call it “graduation.” Since her time at the UNHCR, she has held many other interesting roles in international human rights law. Goodman is currently the Senior Subject Matter Expert on the Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse at the Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations System. 

Tips for Students Interested in International Human Rights Law 

Goodman provided some actionable tips for students interested in a career in international human rights law. She encourages students to identify a passion in this field and to take strategic coursework like international human rights law or other public international law courses. Goodman also stresses the importance of learning a second UN language, such as French, Arabic, Mandarin or Spanish. Lastly, she suggests that volunteering with the UN, studying abroad, or pursuing an international work experience, are great opportunities to consider. 

The Reality of a Career in International Human Rights Law 

Goodman ended her talk with an important reality check about pursuing a career in international human rights. This line of work can be dangerous. Goodman was evacuated twice–once from Sudan when Omar al-Bashir was indicted for war crimes–and a second time from Haiti due to civil unrest. There are also other drawbacks, like the need to make sacrifices, and missing things you care about while stationed abroad.  

A certain degree of grit and flexibility are evidently required to work in this field. Living out of a safari tent for more than a weekend is likely not for everyone. However, for students who are excited by the full panoply of prospects that come with working in international human rights law, Goodman’s dynamic career provides an inspiring example of what is possible.