The Asia Law and Justice (ALJ) Program exposes students to critical human rights concerns in Asia, a region that is vast, diverse, and facing a wide range of challenges to the rule of law and access to justice. Students are trained to think critically and creatively through seminar course offerings and hands-on projects in partnership with grassroots groups, including in Burma, China, and Nepal.

The ALJ Program creates programs for students that train them in the skills required of a professional human rights advocate, including research, legal and policy analysis, fact finding, international advocacy, and capacity building in partnership with local advocates.

Through a dedicated seminar, students learn to examine and respond to traditional critiques of applying human rights laws in Asian countries and learn to identify successful strategies for promoting human rights within that unique context.

Students are supervised by faculty and program staff working directly with NGO partners and activists in countries throughout Asia and create training materials and other resources for use in diverse settings. Students conduct interviews with local stakeholders and facilitate trainings on human rights standards with local groups.

The ALJ Program’s recent work has focused on lawyers and other human rights defenders, women’s rights, protections for refugees, socioeconomic rights, and the human rights implications of foreign investment in Asia.