Across the Globe

American Councils Alumna Elected to the UN Human Rights Committee

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Ivana Jeli arrived in the United States ten years ago as a doctoral student on an American Councils program for overseas faculty called JFDP.

A decade later, she cites the year she spent studying and teaching human rights and international law at UC Berkeley as a formative experience in her career path, culminating in her recent nomination and election to the UN Human Rights Committee: "What I learned during my year was necessary to become what I am now I am so thankful to the American people, the US Department of State, and American Councils for my experience."

Dr. Jeli's journey began in her native country of Montenegro and led her across the world, eventually arriving at the halls of the United Nations. Her diligent pursuit of an LLM and PhD in Public International Law and Human Rights from the University of Belgrade to doctoral and postdoctoral specializations in human rights at universities in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United States,the United Kingdom and Germany demonstrate Dr. Jeli 's dedication to the implementation of human rights worldwide.

"Over time, I have realized that the protection and promotion of international human rights have become more than just a profession for me. In fact, championing the protection of human rights is my day to day commitment and my leading life principle," says Dr. Jeli .

The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro nominated Dr. Jeli this year to the UN Human Rights Committee based on her significant achievements in human rights law.

Most recently, she has been working with the government of Montenegro to harmonize state legislation with international human rights standards. Dr. Jeli has also worked as a member of the Steering Committee of Human Rights at the Council of Europe, acted as a legal counsel at the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights of the Government of Montenegro, was a Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Montenegro.

Currently, she is the chair in international human rights law at the University of Montenegro, Member of the Advisory Committee to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe, and the Deputy Director of the Straniak Academy for Democracy and Human Rights based in Vienna and Podgorica. She also teaches at several universities and is a prominent university professor across Europe.

With her mandate beginning in 2015, Dr. Jeli will be working with the UN Human Rights Committee to evaluate UN Member States' reports on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well to consider individual and state applications on allegations of violation of the Covenant. The ICCPR commits state parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals.

Reflecting upon her American Councils program in the United States, Dr. Jeli says, "My American doctoral experience helped me to shape my career and my life. Being a member of the American Councils JFDP family was a tremendous experience that makes me happy."