News Release                         
February 19, 2008                                        

Women and Children’s Rights in Haiti Conference
 To be Held at Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Will Explore Serious Human Rights Violations: Haiti’s Ambassador to Speak

When:      Friday, March 7, 2008
                 12:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Where:    Thomas Jefferson School of Law
                 2120 San Diego Avenue, San Diego
                 Courtyard Building Room: 200

SAN DIEGO -- The Center for Global Legal Studies at Thomas Jefferson School of Law here is presenting an international conference on "Women's and Children's Rights in Haiti" on March 7, 2008 from 12:30-6 p.m., and features Haiti’s Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Raymond Joseph.

“The Haiti Conference is designed to raise public awareness about serious human rights violations currently being perpetrated on women and children in Haiti,” said conference organizer, Professor Susan Tiefenbrun.  “Especially on children desperately seeking to be adopted by parents whose applications have been duly accepted and processed. High profile human rights activists and ambassadors from the country of Haiti are gathered here to expose these human rights violations and to seek help for the victims of intolerable abuse.”

In addition to Ambassador Raymond Joseph, speakers include; Deputy Rodon A. Bien-Aime, a member of the Haitian Parliament; Ms. Barbara Walker, the head of the Reach Out to Haiti organization which provides assistance to homeless women, who will speak on prostitution in Haiti; Professor Mohamed Y. Mattar a world famous scholar on trafficking and the new trafficking law in Haiti, Vera Valdivia, children’s rights activist and a student from TJSL who helped organize the conference and is well versed in UNICEF's role in international adoptions in Haiti and Mario Joseph, Prominent Human Rights Attorney in Haiti. Professor Tiefenbrun, who is the Director of the Center for Global Legal Studies, also will be speaking. She is one of the leading scholars in the field of human trafficking especially of women and children.

The conference is free to the public, but reservations are requested at 619-297-9700 ext. 1415 or rward@tjsl.edu

Information about the conference is also available on the Thomas Jefferson School of Law website: www.tjsl.edu

#  # #