During the 11th year of partnership with United Nations, Common Law students have recently completed the preparation of 5 additional studies for the Repertory of the Practice of the United Nations Organs.
In his report to the 76th session of the General Assembly (A/76/223), The Secretary-General of the United Nations commended the cooperation between the United Nations and the Faculty of Law on the preparation of the Repertory studies. The report states that in 2021, “The well-established cooperation with the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa continued for the eleventh consecutive year.” The report specifies that during the period under review, the Faculty of Law contributed to the preparation of five studies, on Articles 8 and 11 for volume I, Articles 33 and 51 for volume III and 104 and 105 combined for volume VI of Supplement No. 11.
The Repertory is a legal publication containing analytical studies on the decisions of the Principal Organs of the United Nations under each of the Articles of the Charter of the United Nations. During the past eleven years, 68 studies for the Repertory have been prepared both in English and French, in collaboration with the Faculty of Law. In the spring of 2021, under the supervision of part-time professor Saeid Mirzaei Yengejeh, five graduate and JD students prepared five studies on the above Charter Articles, covering the period from 2010 to 2020.
These studies cover several topics of the UN agenda, including, providing equal opportunities for men and women in the UN Secretariate, the United Nations activities about disarmament, pacific settlement of disputes, new concepts pertaining to the self-defense, and privileges and immunities of the United Nations in the territories of its member states.
Congratulations to the following students whose names have been published on the United Nations Website in appreciation of their contributions to the UN publication: Jakob Bogacki, Amna Farooqi, Tiffany Lee, Giouzelin Mutlu, and Natacha Tremblay.
Students can get involved in this partnership through the “Seminar on Documenting UN Practice", CML4108 and DCL 6121, which will be taught for the 12th consecutive year in a combined January-Winter session in 2022. Registration for the seminar is now open for graduate and upper year students. Interested students must submit their applications, along with their CVs to Professor Saeid Mirzaei Yengejeh ([email protected]).
Here are some testimonials from the students who contributed to the research project:
Amna Farooqi
"Preparing research for the UN was a goal of mine that was made possible through this collaboration. After extensively studying research methods with my professor, I created a research table with sources which I relied on for my final submission. I am very grateful to the UN and the Faculty for facilitating this collaboration, and most of all to my professor for his unfailing support and expertise. I encourage all students with an interest in international law to make use of this rare opportunity to be directly involved in UN research."
Tiffany Lee
“I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to contribute towards the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs. Through my research I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the interpretation and application of UN Charter’s articles codifying the major principles of international relations. This is especially important in providing an understanding of the international communities’ response towards global issues. In light of the current challenges, it has become of unprecedented importance to work together in finding solutions that offer a better future for everyone.”
“I am very honoured for UN’s recognition of our work. For this, I would especially like to thank Professor Yengejeh for his guidance, his time, and his dedication. Throughout the course of my research Professor Yengejeh has offered innumerable invaluable advice and critical feedback. This experience has been truly remarkable, and I am forever thankful for this experience made possible by Professor Yengejeh!”
Jakob Bogacki
“The program offered by the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, in collaboration with the United Nations, illuminated the UN’s role in International Law. My own research on Article 51 of the UN Charter – the inherent right of states to self-defense – provided greater insight into the meaning of ‘self-defense’. The beauty of my work was taking a legal concept such as ‘self-defense’, contextualizing that concept to a particular conflict in the world, and then discerning how and why the parties involved have interpreted the same concept differently.”
“Through this program, I feel that I have contributed to the UN’s objective to establish a solid definition of ‘self-defense’ and to identify how parties attempt to expand that definition. A highlight in this endeavor was the guidance provided by Professor Saeid Mirzaei Yengejeh, whose knowledge on the United Nations and dedication to his students is exceptional. In general, for a student interested in International Law, this program must not be overlooked.”
Giouz Mutlu
“During the 2021 Winter Term, I took Studies in International Law: Seminar on Documenting UN Practice (CML4108), which ended up being one of my most memorable law school experiences. In this course, we had the opportunity to draft a legal publication for the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs. Under the direct supervision of Professor Yengejeh, I prepared a draft study on the application and interpretation of Article 8 of the Charter of the United Nations, which deals with gender equality within the United Nations. Through this experience, I gained practical exposure assisting the largest international organization and was able to study its efforts to address gender equality and women’s empowerment, which has always been a passion of mine. If you are a law student reading this testimonial, I highly recommend you take this course with Professor Yengejeh, whose insight and support throughout the entire drafting phrase is unparalleled.”