“I support TRIAL’s holistic approach to fighting impunity”

Portraits of volunteers #2

Since 2018, twelve volunteers have taken on the specific mission of translating TRIAL International’s website news. To thank them for their invaluable commitment, the “Portraits of volunteers” series gives them the floor. In this episode, meet Emma Bradding, a law student in the UK. Thanks to her fluency in French, she has been a volunteer translator for TRIAL since 2017.

“I have always been passionate about modern languages and human rights-related causes. So, a few years ago, I decided to put my language skills to good use by supporting the work of TRIAL.

I studied French and Spanish for my undergraduate degree at Durham University (UK) and am currently studying law in London. I am due to start a training contract at a commercial law firm in the second half of 2019.”

An advocate of TRIAL’s work

“I am particularly interested in the work TRIAL undertakes to fight conflict-related sexual violence, notably in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, DRC and Nepal. I support TRIAL’s holistic approach to fighting impunity. For example, regarding crimes of sexual violence, it provides ‘capacity-building sessions’ on how evidence can be efficiently collected without further traumatizing victims.

I also respect that TRIAL takes action to get countries to prosecute cases where there is lack of political will, or there are delays in proceedings, such as in the Khaled Nezzar and Rifaat al-Assad cases in Switzerland.”

Discovering TRIAL

“During the third year of my studies, I worked at a press relations agency in Paris, which enabled me to develop my translation skills in a professional setting. The following year, I was looking to volunteer for an NGO. That was when a friend and volunteer at TRIAL recommended I volunteer too, and I have translated for the organization ever since.

I have gained a deeper understanding of the interaction between national and international law in the context of human rights, especially in terms of universal jurisdiction. I also have a greater awareness of the complexities involved in gathering evidence where a significant amount of time has elapsed since the crimes were committed.

In addition, translating for TRIAL has underscored the importance of ensuring that messages are conveyed clearly and cogently to their target audience. This will be an important skill when I work as a solicitor, as I will have to communicate with different types of clients.”

And finally…

“I would highly recommend volunteering for TRIAL, as it is both interesting and rewarding. The website is a really useful resource when translating texts, and I would encourage readers to explore it. TRIAL also produces a monthly newsletter, which is a great way to stay up to date with TRIAL’s work.”

Read the interview of Aleksandra Chlon