International Human Rights Experts To Discuss Justice for Wartime Sexual Violence Victims at the 2025 Presidential Summit
11.8.2024
Wartime sexual violence and human trafficking bring tremendous anguish to victims, but laws are rarely enforced, and perpetrators are rarely punished. The New York State Bar Association will amplify efforts to support survivors and pursue justice for victims in its upcoming Presidential Summit.
“Human traffickers often take their victims across borders, making it difficult to document and prosecute these crimes,” said Domenick Napoletano, president of the New York State Bar Association. “It is thanks to the brave testimony of survivors and the tireless work of advocates that we can begin to free victims and bring them back to their families. We look forward to hearing from our summit speakers on this important issue.”
The Presidential Summit, the marquee event of the New York State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, is on Wednesday, Jan. 15, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom West in the Hilton Midtown in New York City. The summit, entitled “Securing Justice: Addressing Sexual Violence and the Weaponization of Individuals and Groups During Conflicts and Wars,” will focus on justice for the victims of wartime human trafficking and sexual violence.
The distinguished guests include:
- Cochav Elkayam-Levy, international human rights law expert, Israel Prize winner, and founder and chair of the Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children.
- Abid Shamdeen, advocate for Yazidi genocide survivors and co-founder of Nadia’s Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to both rebuilding communities in crisis and advocating for justice for survivors of sexual violence on a global scale.
In 2014, the militant group ISIS invaded the Sinjar region of Iraq, ethnically cleansing the Yazidi people. More than 400,000 fled to neighboring Mount Sinjar, where they faced starvation. ISIS killed more than 5,000 men and older women and kidnapped and enslaved more than 6,000 women and children in an act of genocide. Even a decade later, 2,800 women are still missing.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdering 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The brutality of these crimes – including rape, murder, maiming, and kidnapping – has international human rights experts considering a new category of war crime: kinocide, or the purposeful targeting of families. 101 hostages are still in captivity.
Tying these two atrocities together, a 21-year-old Yazidi woman, Fawzia Amin Sido, was rescued last October from Gaza. ISIS abducted Sido when she was 10, and later trafficked her to Syria where she was forced to marry a 24-year-old Palestinian ISIS fighter and have his children. When the man was killed in 2019, Sido was moved to the man’s family in Gaza. A team of Canadian and Iraqi activists helped Sido escape and get back to her family in Iraq.
“There are human trafficking victims from wars all over the world,” said Napoletano. “Opportunistic criminals prey upon vulnerable people in conflicts. All decent people should be trying to stop this.”
Journalists are invited to attend the Presidential Summit. Please RSVP by emailing Rebecca Melnitsky at [email protected] or Susan DeSantis at [email protected].
Artificial Intelligence and Diversity Programming
In addition, former U.S. District Court Judge Katherine Forrest and former Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court Bridget McCormack will provide an update on the impact AI has had on the legal profession since last year’s Presidential Summit. Also, Impact Interactive, an innovative theater company, will perform and facilitate discussion about implicit bias, harassment and other issues in the legal system.
“Impact Interactive has developed a unique way to promote diversity, equality and inclusion,” said Napoletano. “I am sure that their practical solutions will be especially helpful to attorneys. I look forward to this unique program and the valuable conversations we will have at the Presidential Summit.”
Honoring attorneys who render extraordinary service to the public and the profession is part of NYSBA’s Annual Meeting tradition. This year’s event promises to be dynamic and informative, featuring a wide range of sessions and activities tailored to the diverse interests and needs of lawyers practicing in New York. Annual Meeting takes place Jan. 14 to 17 at the New York Hilton Midtown.
Highlights of Annual Meeting include the Presidential Gala, where retired Associate Justice Stephen Breyer of the Supreme Court of the United States will receive the association’s most prestigious award, the Gold Medal. The gala is on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., at The Plaza Hotel. Justice Breyer will speak about his career, judicial philosophy and his recent book during a fireside chat at the gala.
For more information on NYSBA’s Annual Meeting, click here. Media are invited to attend programs, but please notify Susan DeSantis at [email protected] or 201-575-5756.
