10th World Conference on Women’s Studies
May 5, 2024
The Role of Technology in Protecting Human Rights
June 5, 2025Best International Criminal Lawyer of the Year (Section: Europe-Italy)
2024
This interview offers a portrait of me as an international lawyer and legal adviser, tracing the personal conviction that led me to dedicate my career to human rights, international criminal law, and the protection of vulnerable groups. From an early desire to become a lawyer to an unexpected professional journey in international law, I reflect on how curiosity, empathy and a deep interest in the legal and political realities of different countries have shaped my work.
The interview explores some of the most challenging aspects of international criminal law, particularly the need to understand crimes within their social, cultural and historical contexts. Rather than reducing individuals to the acts for which they are accused or convicted, I emphasize the importance of looking beyond labels and examining the circumstances that may have influenced human conduct.
This perspective is strongly connected to my experience at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, where I worked on Case 003 about crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge period and had the opportunity to engage with both victims and defendants.A significant part of the interview is also focused on my work in Cambodia on the labour rights of female construction workers, a project that revealed serious concerns regarding safety, wages, working conditions and sexual abuse. The conversation then turns to my current professional focus, including projects aimed at ensuring access to essential services for children at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the European Union, as well as my involvement in policies addressing human trafficking and migrant smuggling in the Mediterranean Sea.