In this second half of our conversation, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Professor Dr. Chidi Oguamanam about the critical intersections of intellectual property, indigenous knowledge systems, and access to justice. Building on Part 1, this episode dives deep into the concept of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), its origins in the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the real-world implications of the Nagoya Protocol—or the lack thereof, particularly in Canada. Professor Oguamanam shares compe...
Jun 30, 2025•25 min•Season 3Ep. 13
In this powerful first part of our conversation, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Professor Dr. Chidi Oguamanam—legal scholar, researcher, and global voice on sustainable bio-innovation, indigenous knowledge systems, and knowledge governance. Professor Oguamanam explores how intellectual property law is fundamentally an access to justice issue , drawing on his lived experience in rural Africa, his legal career, and academic work across law, science, and ethics. Together, they unpack the conceptua...
Jun 17, 2025•26 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode of the Just Access podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Luca Brocca , a master’s student in European Studies at KU Leuven and a long-time member of Just Access. Luca discusses his journey from academic theory to impactful practice in the human rights field through his work with Just Access. Luca has worn many hats in the organization over the past two years: from legal intern to blog author, to Just Access representative to the UNCAC Coalition (UN Convention against Corr...
Jun 02, 2025•21 min•Season 3Ep. 11
In Part 2 of our compelling conversation, Professors Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves continue to unpack the complex realities of surveillance, privacy, and children’s rights in the digital age. Building on their extensive research and advocacy through The eQuality Project, they explore how tech design, gender, and systemic bias intersect in online environments—and what it means for youth today. Together, we examine: The myth of the “neutral” internet How tech platforms design for profit—not prot...
May 19, 2025•26 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this thought-provoking episode, we speak with Professors Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves, co-leaders of The eQuality Project, a pioneering initiative focused on young people’s experiences of privacy and equality in digitally networked environments. Part 1 of our conversation dives into how surveillance is normalized in educational and social media contexts, why that matters for youth, and what needs to change in how we approach children’s digital rights. Jane and Valerie reflect on how their ...
May 05, 2025•35 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In this second part of our conversation with the Just Access Strategic Litigation team, Dr. Miranda Melcher continues her in-depth discussion with Dr. Tom Sparks and Dr. Lucas Sanchez about Just Access’s groundbreaking communication to four UN Special Rapporteurs. The communication addresses critical gaps in Germany’s climate change adaptation policies, specifically regarding children’s rights and the inclusion of human rights-based frameworks. This episode dives deep into: Why Just Access chose...
Apr 21, 2025•28 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this powerful episode, Dr. Miranda Melcher is joined by Dr. Tom Sparks (Director of Just Access) and Dr. Lucas Sanchez (Head of Strategic Litigation at Just Access) for the first part of a two-part conversation exploring the intersection of climate change adaptation , children’s rights , and international law . Together, they break down a groundbreaking communication that Just Access is submitting to multiple UN Special Rapporteurs, challenging Germany’s approach to climate adaptation for its...
Apr 07, 2025•27 min•Season 3Ep. 7
🎙️ Host: Dr. Miranda Melcher 🎙️ Guest: Professor Elisa Morgera, UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change In this second part of our conversation with Professor Elisa Morgera, we dive deeper into the intersection of climate change and human rights, particularly focusing on the vulnerability of children. We also explore: 🌍 How industries contribute to climate change and the role of regulation 👶 The specific human rights challenges children face due to climate change 📜 The UN Special Rapporteur...
Mar 23, 2025•17 min•Season 3Ep. 6
🌍 Episode Summary: In this episode of the Just Access Podcast , Dr. Miranda Melcher sits down with Professor Elisa Morgera to explore the critical intersections between climate change and human rights. As the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change, Professor Morgera provides a deep dive into her role, the challenges of addressing climate change through a human rights lens, and the need for stronger collaboration between legal, environmental, and scientific communities. Key topics include: ✅ Wh...
Mar 09, 2025•22 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode, Dr. Miranda Melcher continues her insightful discussion with Amy Rose, the Global Director of Litigation, Governance, and Legal Services at ClientEarth. Amy shares her expertise on the evolving landscape of climate litigation, the challenges of systemic change, and the innovative strategies used to address the world’s most pressing environmental issues. From groundbreaking human rights cases to biodiversity protection and sustainable food systems, Amy reveals the intricate proce...
Feb 10, 2025•29 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this episode of the Just Access Podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Amy Rose , the Global Director of Litigation, Governance, and Legal Services at ClientEarth . ClientEarth is a world-leading environmental organization that uses the law to tackle pressing environmental challenges. In this first part of their conversation, Amy shares her journey into law—from her beginnings in political science to her global career in litigation, including her impactful work at ClientEarth. They exp...
Jan 27, 2025•20 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Show Notes: Just Access Podcast, Season 3 Launch (Part 2) In this special episode of the Just Access Podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher dives into inspiring conversations with Dr. Tom Sparks, Director of Just Access, and Cvetanka Kiroska, Head of Projects. This episode continues the Season 3 launch in celebration of International Human Rights Day and the podcast's second anniversary. Highlights of the Episode: 1. Cvetanka Kiroska’s Journey Growing up during Yugoslavia's turbulent collapse and fin...
Jan 13, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 2
🔔 Episode Summary: Welcome to Season 3 of Just Access ! As we celebrated our two-year anniversary and International Human Rights Day, we bring you a special two-part episode exploring the mission and origins of Just Access. In this first part, host Dr. Miranda Melcher sits down with Dr. Mark Somos , the founder of Just Access and a leading figure in human rights law. Mark shares his powerful journey: from a childhood in communist Hungary marked by poverty, resistance, and secret acts of solidar...
Dec 17, 2024•23 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In this insightful continuation of our conversation with Bora Un and Anna Schroeder from Art Works Projects (AWP), we delve deeper into the organization’s impactful work in human rights storytelling. Building on the foundation set in the previous episode, we explore their current projects, collaborative processes, and lessons learned from years of advocacy through visual storytelling. Key Highlights: Current Projects at AWP: Bora and Anna share updates on AWP’s latest initiatives, including thei...
Dec 02, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 26
In this episode, Dr. Miranda Melcher sits down with Bora Un, the Managing Director, and Anne Schroeter, the Impact Consultant, from Art Works Project (AWP), a nonprofit dedicated to visual advocacy and human rights storytelling. Bora and Anne share their passion for visual storytelling as a tool for change and provide insights into how AWP works on various impactful projects. Key Highlights:: Introduction to Art Works Project (AWP): Bora and Anne explain the mission of AWP, which produces high-i...
Nov 18, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 25
In this episode, our host, Dr. Miranda Melcher, speaks with Dana Rösiger, a talented photographer and human rights advocate, who collaborates with NGO’s like DISCOVER FOOTBALL , Equal Playing Field or Women Win , fighting for a world in which girls and women can do sports without being discriminated against. Dana shares her unique perspective on documenting human rights issues through photography and the powerful role that visual storytelling plays in advocating for justice. Dana’s work brings t...
Nov 04, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 24
In this episode, our host, Dr. Melcher, is joined by Dr. Christopher Robertson, a professor at Boston University, and Dr. Louise King, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Together they explore groundbreaking research recently published by these two co-authors in the Emory Law Journal. The article, titled "Structural Sex Discrimination: Why Gynecology Patients Suffer Avoidable Injuries and What the Law Can Do About It", delves into the systemic challenges and legal impli...
Oct 14, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 23
In this episode, we continue the conversation with Ida Manton about her work as a trainer and scholar in the field of negotiations, mediation, and conflict management. In the first part of the interview, we discussed her career and work in this field, and in this episode we talk about where she sees the biggest gaps in access to justice and ways we can work to address them. Key Highlights: Negotiation skills: What are the main skills negotiators need to develop? Major challenges: What are the ke...
Sep 30, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 22
In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking to Ida Manton about her work as a trainer and scholar in the field of negotiations, mediation, and conflict management. In this first part of the interview, we discuss her career and work in this field, and in our second episode with Ida, we will talk about where she sees the biggest gaps in access to justice and ways we can work to address them. Key Highlights: First-Hand Experience: Explore the experiences of Ida Manton and her journey to becom...
Sep 16, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 21
In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking to Mary Lawlor, who is currently Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2020. She is also the founder of Frontline Defenders and has had various positions with Amnesty International. We talk about her remarkable career and and everything she's done for human rights. Key Highlights: What are Human Rights Defenders: Learn about the human rights activism and the risks it may entail. First-Hand Exper...
Sep 02, 2024•40 min•Season 2Ep. 20
In this episode, we have the pleasure of continuing the conversation with Dr. Ashfaq Kalfan, who is the Director of Climate Justice at Oxfam USA. We continue our conversation from the previous episode, where we talked more about his career, focusing on socio economic human rights, and moving into strategic climate litigation. And here we go into more detail about climate justice, what is happening in the world of strategic climate litigation, as well as his perspectives on human rights and how t...
Aug 19, 2024•25 min•Season 2Ep. 19
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking to Dr. Ashfaq Khalfan, who is the Director of Climate Justice at Oxfam USA. In this first part of our conversation, we speak about his interest in human rights, specifically socioeconomic human rights, and his career so far, including a current focus on climate change strategic litigation. In the second part of our conversation, we will talk more about what's happening in the world of strategic climate litigation, all the way up at the level of th...
Aug 04, 2024•23 min•Season 2Ep. 18
In this episode, we have the pleasure of continuing the conversation with two fabulous guests who I've been talking about climate protest in the Netherlands, Germany, and beyond in our previous episode. One of our guests is Mirjam Hermann, a climate activist and law student. Our second guest is Juanita van Lunen, an attorney at The Hague working on criminal law and demonstration rights. In this second part of our conversation, we continue discussing their experiences with climate protests, as we...
Jul 22, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 17
In this episode, join host Dr Miranda Melcher as we delve into the fraught and controversial world of climate change protests, with expert guests Juanita van Lunen , an attorney based in The Hague, where she specialises in criminal law and demonstration rights in the Netherlands, and Mirjam Herrmann, a climate activist and law student in Germany, and member of the association Rückendeckung für eine aktive Zivilgesellschaft (RAZ) e.V. , which provides legal and psychological support to Letzte Gen...
Jul 08, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 16
In this episode, we continue the conversation with Dr Miranda Melcher, discussing her recently published book about peace treaties and how to improve outcomes coming out of civil wars. Last time we talked a bit about how I got into this research and some of the main findings of the book and today we go into more detail and discuss ways in which this links to access to justice. If you would like to order the book, you can find it here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/securing-peace-in-angola-and-mo...
Jun 24, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 15
In this episode, we have something special for you. We have placed our podcast host, Dr. Miranda Melcher, on the other side of the microphone, to allow our audience to get to know her and her academic work better. Dr Melcher is interviewed by Nalenhle Moyo, the new Donor and Communication Specialist at Just Access. Dr. Melcher recently published a book titled Securing Peace in Angola and Mozambique, where she delves into the role of access to justice and the resolution of civil conflict. In this...
Jun 10, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Join host Dr Miranda Melcher in this compelling episode of Just Access as she sits down with acclaimed writer and editor Jocelyn Zuckerman to discuss her groundbreaking book, Planet Palm . Published in 2021, this exposé delves into the environmental and social abuses rampant in the global palm oil industry. Key Highlights: Learn About Palm Oil: Learn about the ubiquitous palm oil, its origins, and its extensive use in everyday products. First-Hand Experience: Jocelyn recounts her eye-opening jou...
May 27, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 13
In this episode, we have the pleasure of continuing the conversation with Donatella Rovera, who is Senior Crisis Response Advisor at Amnesty International. For more than 20 years, she has been a key member of Amnesty's on the ground investigative efforts in war, crisis, and other situations of human rights abuse. Listen to this episode as Donatella discusses insights from her career, including on some less discussed conflicts, and about access to justice globally. Enjoy listening! Don’t forget t...
May 06, 2024•25 min•Season 2Ep. 12
In this episode, Dr Miranda Melcher, Senior Legal Fellow at Just Access, engages in a profound conversation with Donatella Rovera , Senior Crisis Response Advisor at Amnesty International. With her extensive experience in investigating human rights abuses in conflict zones such as Gaza, Syria, and Iraq, Donatella provides an in-depth look into the complexities and risks involved in her work. Key Highlights: Meet Donatella Rovera: A living legend in human rights circles, Donatella Rovera is not a...
Apr 22, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 11
In this episode, we have an extra special interview about the just-decided European Court of Human Rights cases on climate change. We have an incredible expert with us to help us understand these decisions that came out just a few hours ago by the time of the recording. Judge Professor Helen Keller is Chair of International and Public Law at the University of Zurich, and a member of the Bosnian Constitutional Court. Crucially for our discussion today, she was also formerly a judge on the Europea...
Apr 10, 2024•40 min•Season 2Ep. 10
