LSE Human Rights blog is a student-led project based in the Department of Sociology. It is a place for open discussion of ideas, events, and critical views on the topic of human rights – whatever the term means to you.

Anyone is free to contribute ideas for articles to the blog. LSE MSc Human Rights and MSc Human Rights and Politics students and members of the LSE Human Rights Doctoral Network are welcome to join the Editorial Team.

The views expressed on the blog belong to the author alone.

Editor Biographies

Lia Baez Vidal is an MSc student in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She holds a BA in Political Science, with concentrations in law and global studies, from Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Prior to joining LSE, Lia worked as policy director for Promise Partnership Utah, where she championed initiatives to transform education, health, and socioeconomic opportunities for children and families. Her research interests encompass empire, race/ism, atrocity, migration, and law, with a regional focus on Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. Passionate about advancing equity and justice, Lia aims to advocate for impactful, disruptive policies that empower marginalised communities across the globe.

Anna Brateanu is an editor for the LSE Human Rights Blog and an MSc student in Human Rights and Politics. She holds a BA in Philosophy and Political Science, with a concentration in International Relations, from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before joining the London School of Economics and Political Science, she worked as a legal clerk for a civil litigation firm in Los Angeles representing victims of corporate negligence and exposure to toxic chemicals. Her research interests include reproductive rights, state surveillance, authoritarianism, and political violence, with a focus on the United States. She hopes to work on gender and reproductive policy and to foster political freedom and participation for women and minorities.

Ellie Collins is an MSc Human Rights student. She holds a BA in Geography from University College London (UCL), where she focused on anti-colonial and immigration studies. She simultaneously volunteered at a local NGO that provides services for asylum seekers in the city. Following undergraduate study, Ellie interned at Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in London, where she analysed the implications of democratic backsliding upon international human rights. She then worked in organisations across Latin America and the Caribbean, researching the human rights of Indigenous persons. Whilst at LSE, Ellie continues to champion for indigenous rights through the lens of anti-colonialism and disability.

Emilia Dominguez is an MSc Human Rights and Politics student at The London School of Economics and Political Science. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Latin American Studies from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She was a staff writer for a university newspaper in her undergrad and wrote several articles for Ms. Magazine related to reproductive healthcare during her internship at the Feminist Majority Foundation. Her research interests include queer, Indigenous and feminist social movements, archival studies and postcolonial theory.

Katie Farren is an MSc Human Rights and Politics student at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has a BA in International Economics (with Arabic) and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame. In her over seven years of experience as a cotton trader and merchandiser at two leading international companies, Katie focused on marketing to key importing markets, including Pakistan, China and Vietnam. She served as Vice-Chair of the International Cotton Association’s Women in Cotton Committee and co-host of “The Thing About Cotton” podcast, striving to champion diversity and inclusion and highlight women’s achievements throughout the value chain. Her research interests include sustainability, traceability, and human rights within global supply chains, as well as human rights concerns in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Isabel Geddes is an MSc Human Rights student at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Partnerships Officer at UNICEF, where she has worked for the last four years to champion children’s rights with government partners at intergovernmental fora. Outside of her work at UNICEF, Isabel taught literacy at New York City jails and served as a mentor for previously incarcerated youth. Isabel was born and raised in New York City and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science, cum laude, from Occidental College.

Louison Gourlet is an MSc Human Rights and Politics student at the London School of Economics and Political Science and an editor for the LSE Human Rights Blog. Her research and activism focus on radical decolonial approaches to cultural and heritage policy. Through her work as a researcher at the University of Warwick and a project editor at the Pollocks Toy Museum, she has gained practical experience in applying decolonial theory to real-world challenges. Her work seeks to challenge dominant narratives, empower marginalized communities, and promote cultural justice.

Fiza Meeraj is an editor for the LSE Human Rights Blog and an MSc Human Rights student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, with a first class undergraduate degree in History from King’s College London. Her research focuses on gender autonomy, social control, and violence, particularly examining how honour-related narratives shape legal and social frameworks. Passionate about promoting diverse perspectives, Fiza aims to make complex human rights issues accessible through impactful writing and analysis, fostering meaningful discussions on justice and social change.

Kavya Mishra is an MSc Human Rights student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she is a recipient of the Joseph and Andrea Cunningham Scholarship and serves as an editor for the LSE Human Rights Blog. She holds a BA in International Relations and Modern History from the University of St. Andrews. Passionate about advocacy and social justice, Kavya has led initiatives as President of the St. Andrews Feminist Society, championing causes like LGBTQ+ rights and anti-spiking campaigns. Her experience as a child advocate and human rights intern reflects her dedication to fostering safety, equality, and community-centred solutions.

Manoel Narciso is a lawyer and an MSc Human Rights student at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), with an exchange period at Sciences Po, Lyon. Manoel has experience working in the human rights legal field, having worked at the Rio de Janeiro’s Public Defender’s Office and the Brazilian Federal Prosecutor’s Office, where he focused on institutional violence and indigenous people’s rights. His research interests are centred on police brutality, transitional justice and political violence. As a member of the editorial team, Manoel aims to foster engagement with critical human rights issues in the Global South.

Lara Schutte is an MSc Human Rights student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, with a first class honours degree in International Development and Economics from the University of Bath. Before joining LSE, Lara gained experience in international development consulting, working with donor agencies such as the EU and World Bank. She also worked as a research assistant for a South African NGO focused on education and health programs. Lara has conducted original research critically engaging with the ICC’s trial of Dominic Ongwen, advocating for the prioritisation of women’s voices in the trial. Consequently, as an editorial member of the Human Rights Blog, Lara aims to leverage discussions around GBV survivor support, political reconciliation, and intersectional development approaches.

Doga Usanmaz is an MSc Human Rights and Politics student at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She holds a BA in Politics and Journalism from New York University. During her studies, she was a writer for the Journal of Politics and International Affairs at NYU and was a videographer for Washington Square News. Her work has also been published in Dissent Today and Cumhuriyet Daily, a leading Turkish newspaper, where she reported on labour movements, abortion, and inflation. She also worked as a music journalist for FRONTRUNNER Magazine. Following her studies, she hopes to work for NGOs focusing on ethno-nationalism and migration, and eventually pursue human rights journalism.

Eva Verdugo-Raab is an MSc Human Rights and Politics student at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She holds a Political Science and Economics BA from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany. With several years of experience at Amnesty International, Eva has actively participated in human rights education, activism, and international NGO governance. She has represented Amnesty Germany as a delegate at the Global Assembly twice. Eva also interned with the United Nations Association in Germany, focusing on human rights and the UN. For her bachelor’s thesis, she conducted original research in Turkey, analysing feminist activism in the context of the country’s de-democratisation. At LSE, she continues to deepen her understanding of feminism and social movements through a post-colonial lens.