Honorary Doctorate Radhika Coomaraswamy
01/02 |
Lunch Seminar on 'Children and Armed Conflict: International Concerns and Interventions' by Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Under-Secretary-General, Special Representative Children in Armed Conflict. Brussels, 12.30 - 2pm. |
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01/02 |
Lecture and Debate on 'Child Soldiers: Understanding Root Causes and Fighting Impunity' by Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Under-Secretary-General, Special Representative Children in Armed Conflict. Brussels, 6 - 7pm. |
About Radhika Coomaraswamy
Every year, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven confers honorary doctorates on persons of outstanding distinction in recognition of their scientific, social or cultural achievements. On 2 February 2010, Rector Mark Waer will award the university’s degree of 'doctor honoris causa' to Mrs. Radhika Coomaraswamy, to Professor Christopher Colclough, to Mr. Jean-Pierre and Mr. Luc Dardenne and to Professors Giacomo Rizzolatti and Vittorio Gallese.
Radhika Coomaraswamy (Sri Lanka) is currently the Special Representative to the UN Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict. She holds the office of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. She is well known as an advocate of human rights, particularly the rights of children and women in conflict situations. Her personal activism has resulted in the extensive awareness amongst members of the UN Security Council of the issue of sexual violence as it is used as a weapon of war. K.U.Leuven is awarding her an honorary doctorate as a special expression of appreciation and recognition for the important role she plays, both in her home country as well as internationally, in defending the rights of women and children. She was nominated by Professor Jan Wouters of the Faculty of Law.
Honorary doctorate Walter van Gerven
