Faegre & Benson LLP
and
Minnesota Advocates
for Human Rights

Present:

The Children’s Human Rights Speaker Series

Children and Education: Investing in our Future

Elizabeth Sullivan, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative

Thursday, September 27, 2007

12:00 - 1:00 P.M.

Faegre & Benson LLP

The Century Room

2200 Wells Fargo Center ■ 90 South Seventh Street ■ Minneapolis, MN 55402

Although the right to education is a fundamental human right of all children, many children around the world are deprived of this right. Denial of this fundamental right has life long consequences, as it impacts the realization of virtually all other rights for children, including  civil, political, social, economic, and  cultural rights.  Elizabeth Sullivan will provide an overview of international human rights law, and the right to education as it is addressed in various  human rights treaties.  Ms. Sullivan will also examine U.S. accountability under these laws and treaties, and discuss how to effectively use human rights law to reframe public policy and advocacy  concerning children and their legal rights.

Biographic Information

Elizabeth Sullivan is the Education Program Director at the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI).  Ms. Sullivan works with parents and advocates to promote policy change in public education to guarantee students’ right to dignity and a quality education.  She carries out research projects to document human rights violations in US public schools, and provides trainings to parents, youth and organizers about how to incorporate human rights standards and strategies into their advocacy.  She recently authored the report Deprived of Dignity: Degrading Treatment and Abusive Discipline in New York City and Los Angeles Public Schools.  She has worked as a consultant with Human Rights Education Associates and as Project Coordinator at the Center for Economic and Social Rights, where she authored the report Civil Society and School Accountability: A Human Rights Approach to Parent and Community Participation in NYC Schools. Ms. Sullivan  holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University.

Please RSVP to Julia Kashaeva at The Advocates by noon on Tuesday, September 25.
(612) 341-3302 ext. 127 or jkashaeva@mnadvocates.org.
Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP. Application will be made for one CLE credit.

The bi-monthly Children's Human Rights Speaker Series will be held throughout 2007.

Lectures are free and open to the public (registration required).  For more information, please contact Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights at (612) 341-3302 or see our website at www.mnadvocates.org. You may find directions to Faegre & Benson at: www.faegre.com.