The human rights situation in the Americas has been rapidly deteriorating amid the rise of authoritarian and populist leaders in many countries. With independent state institutions and media freedom increasingly under assault, civil society has a key role to play in defending the rule of law and fighting for the protection of human rights. I cannot think of a better place from which to contribute to this struggle than Human Rights Watch,” said Juanita.
“We are delighted that Juanita Goebertus, a dynamic and accomplished leader, will be heading up our Americas work,” said Sari Bashi, program director at Human Rights Watch. “We’re proud of the work our Americas division and Juanita is perfectly positioned not only to take it forward but take it to the next level.”
Juanita Goebertus has been an international human rights and humanitarian law advocate throughout her career in government, academia, and civil society. She played an important role in negotiations that led to the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). She served as deputy director of the international Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), where she also had a regional Latin America brief. And she recently completed a 4-year term as a congresswoman in Colombia, where she earned acclaim as the “best-performing member of the House of Representatives” for three consecutive years according to a national survey. As a congresswoman she was a consistent champion of human rights, transparency, and built strong relationships with communities directly affected by human rights abuses.