In the past decade, we have observed a troubling global backsliding in the protection of human rights. This regression is being promoted, encouraged, and financed by various traditionalist and fundamentalist groups, including certain churches and their affiliated NGOs, conservative civil society organizations, as well as governments and politicians from a wide range of countries—both democratic and autocratic. This movement transcends national political systems and affects democracies as much as autocracies. These groups often employ misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories to incite moral panic, particularly among less informed populations. Their primary objectives in this coordinated effort include the creation legal obstacles for civil society organizations to organize and secure funding for their activities; rolling back sexual and reproductive rights and limiting education on these topics; undermining or reversing LGBTI rights where they have been established, and blocking efforts to secure these rights in countries where they remain absent. Furthermore, affirmative actions or protections based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex; are dismantled and the influence and operations of international bodies such as the United Nations, the Organization of American States (OAS), and other treaty-based organizations are restricted.
This lecture, featuring lawyer Tamara Adrián, aims to raise awareness of this dangerous global movement. The lecture also empowers participants to develop effective strategies to counter these regressive actions.
This event, in partnership with Bard College Berlin, will be hosted at:
Lecture Hall, Bard College Berlin, Platanenstr. 24, 13156 Berlin
Biography
Tamara Adrián is an accomplished lawyer and academic with an extensive educational and professional background. She graduated with highest honors in law from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB) in Venezuela and holds a Doctorate in Law, also with highest honors, from Université Paris 2 in France. Additionally, she earned a degree in Comparative Law with honors from the Institut de Droit Comparé de Paris. Adrián has furthered her expertise in public policy through training for high-ranking officers at the Harvard Kennedy School.
With a distinguished career in academia, Adrián has served as a law professor across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels at several universities, including Universidad Central de Venezuela, Universidad Metropolitana, Universidad de Antioquia, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, and the University for Peace. She is also a published author, contributing books and numerous articles on civil and commercial law as well as human rights.