The International Law Society and the Center for Applied Human Rights at Vermont Law School will host Janelle Diller of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for a talk titled "Workers' Rights and Corporate Responsibilities Across Borders: Perspectives on Law and Social Justice" at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, in Yates Common Room at VLS. The event is free and open to the public and press.
Diller, a senior legal adviser at the ILO, an agency of the United Nations, led the ILO role in international negotiations that resulted in a compensation arrangement for the victims of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh. The collapse, in 2013, was the deadliest factory disaster in the history of the garment industry.
"We are delighted to welcome Janelle Diller to Vermont Law School, and look forward to learning from her deep experience in addressing workers' rights and corporate responsibilities in a time of increased globalization," said Professor Stephanie Farrior, director of the Center for Applied Human Rights. "Ms. Diller has been at the very center in negotiating with businesses, workers' groups and international organizations to address the human rights impacts of globalization. We are privileged to have such a leader speak at our school."
Diller is the Paul Martin Sr. Professor of International Affairs and Law at University of Windsor in Canada, on leave from her position as senior counsel to the ILO deputy director-general for policy. She previously served as legal director of the nongovernmental International Human Rights Law Group in Washington, D.C. In addition to overseeing the Rana Plaza agreement for the ILO on behalf of thousands of victims, Diller has advised governments and NGOs on international law matters, and has guided the drafting and negotiation of international labor instruments. She contributed to the development of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement; prepared a complaint against forced labor in Myanmar, which led to an international Commission of Inquiry, sanctions, and reform; and represented human rights victims before international bodies and tribunals.
For more information about Janelle Diller's talk at VLS, email MirandaJensen@vermontlaw.edu or AmandaQuinlan@vermontlaw.edu.
The Center for Applied Human Rights at Vermont Law School provides opportunities for research and advocacy training on cutting-edge issues in human rights law and policy. The center's student fellows hone their skills and deepen their understanding of international law as they engage in projects for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs). The center also serves as a focal point for human rights-related events at the law school. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu/academics/centers-and-programs/center-for-applied-human-rights.
The International Law Society (ILS) at Vermont Law School is a student group dedicated to learning and promoting international law, as well as fundraising and raising awareness for important international causes. For more information, follow the ILS on Facebook and Twitter.
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Vermont Law School, a private, independent institution, is home to the nation's largest and deepest environmental law program. VLS offers a Juris Doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; three Master's Degrees—Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy; and four post-JD degrees —LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LLM in Energy Law, LLM in Environmental Law, and LLM in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic, and Center for Applied Human Rights. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Photo courtesy of the International Labour Organization (ILO) / M. Crozet