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Claire Mahon

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Adjunct Clinical Professor of Law, University of Michigan

Claire Mahon is an international human rights lawyer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Until leaving to focus on her own business in June 2012, she was a Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and the joint Founding Coordinator of the Project on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

She has previously worked as the Special Advisor to Mrs Mary Robinson (former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) in Mrs Robinson’s role as Chair of the Board of the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunizations, and as the legal advisor to the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. She has also worked as the Advisor on International Organisations for Amnesty International’s UN Geneva Office, as the legal advisor on economic, social and cultural rights for the International Commission of Jurists, a human rights officer at the International Service for Human Rights, a consultant for the UN (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNDP), and as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer for a top-tier corporate law firm in Australia.

Professor Mahon holds a diplôme d'études approfondies (advanced master's degree) in international law from the Graduate Institute of International Studies; an LLB (Hons.) from the Australian National University (ANU); a BA in international relations and development studies from ANU; and is finalizing her PhD from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

Professor Mahon’s research interests include many areas of international human rights law, socio-economic rights (including housing rights, right to food, right to health, right to water, right to education, work and labour rights, cultural rights), international organizations, civil society, non-governmental organisations, non-state actors, human rights advocacy and litigation, human rights based approaches to development, and UN human rights mechanisms.

Experience

  • 2004–present
    International Human Rights Lawyer, Independent Consultant
  • –present
    Adjunct Clinical Professor of Law, University of Michigan
  • 2007–2012
    Research Fellow, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
  • 2009–2010
    Special Advisor to Mrs Mary Robinson, Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunisations
  • 2007–2009
    Legal Advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Research Unit on the Right to Food
  • 2005–2008
    Research Associate, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
  • 2004–2006
    Legal Advisor, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Commission of Jurists
  • 2004–2004
    Advisor on International Organisations, Amnesty International, United Nations Geneva
  • 2001–2003
    Solicitor, Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Education

  • 2013 
    Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies / University of Geneva, PhD International Law
  • 2006 
    Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, Diplôme d’études approfondies (M.Phil equivalent) in International Law
  • 1999 
    Australian National University, Bachelor of Laws (Hons)
  • 1997 
    Australian National University, Bachelor of Arts (International Relations and Development Studies)

Publications

  • 2013
    The Optional Protocol to the International Covenent on Economic, Social and Cultural RIghts,
  • 2012
    Contemporary Issues in Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
  • 2011
    "The Right to Food: A Right for Everyone", Food Systems Failure: The Global Food Crisis and the Future of Agriculture
  • 2011
    The Fight for the Right to Food: Lessons Learned,
  • 2010
    “The Impact of UN Special Procedures on the Development and Implementation of ESC Rights", International Journal of Human Rights Vol. 15(2)
  • 2010
    "Progress at the Front: the draft Optional Protocol to the OP-ICESCR", Human Rights Law Review 8(4)
  • 2007
    "Le Conseil des droits de l’homme est-il dépolitisé?”, Le Temps
  • 2007
    Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega-Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights,
  • 2007
    Realizing the Right to Health: Swiss Human Rights Book Volume 3,

Research Areas

  • International Law (Excl. International Trade Law) (180116)
  • Human Rights Law (180114)
  • Human Rights And Justice Issues (220104)
  • International Relations (160607)
  • Public Health And Health Services (1117)
  • Sustainable Agricultural Development (070108)
  • Housing Markets, Development, Management (120503)
  • Culture, Gender, Sexuality (200205)
  • Access To Justice (180102)
  • Legal Institutions (Incl. Courts And Justice Systems) (180120)

Honours

French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ‘Personnalité d’avenir’ (Future World Leader) (2007)
Swiss Confederate Scholar (2004)
Law Institute of Victoria’s Paul Baker Memorial Prize for outstanding contribution to human rights law (2003)