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Where Health Meets Justice: How Doctors and Lawyers Can Work Together for Human Rights

Join us for this WebTalkUNA to Commemorate the UN World Day of Justice with special guest

Dr. Joseph Shin, MD, MSc
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine


For the many victims of targeted violence and human rights abuses, the physical and psychological trauma often leads to lasting harm. However, these wounds can also serve as powerful pieces of evidence.

By carefully documenting the health-harming consequences of human rights abuses, physicians and human rights advocates can combine their unique insights, expertise and tools to advocate for asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants and other victims.

Through his work at the NYU/Bellevue Program for Survivors of Torture, Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights and other organizations and collaborations, Dr. Joseph Shin has unique insights into the role that medical-legal partnerships can play in advocating for victims of torture, trafficking, targeted violence, unlawful detention, structural racism and other abuses.

At a time of multiple coalescing trends including increased global forced migration, erosion of migrant rights, and critical examinations of structural determinants of health, health and human rights tools can play an important role in advocating for vulnerable populations now while shaping needed reforms in asylum, immigration and public health policy.

Join us for this special edition WebTalkUNA as we commemorate Human Rights Day with our special guest Dr. Joseph Shin, Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, who will discuss the collaboration between medical and law schools, and his work in the field of civil litigation and advocacy in order to advance health and human rights.


Guest Speaker

JOSEPH SHIN, MD, MSc

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Dr. Joseph Shin is Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Center for Health Equity, member of the Asylum Network at Physicians for Human Rights, and former co-medical director for the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights.

He is a clinician, advocate and researcher with expertise on health disparities and trauma among immigrants trafficking victims, asylum seekers, and incarcerated populations in jails, prisons and immigration detention centers.

His work also includes developing medical-legal partnerships, fostering collaborations with medical and law schools, and working closely on strategic civil litigation and advocacy to advance health and human rights.

He is the recipient of the Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Public Award and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest’s Felix A. Fishman Award for his work advancing health and justice.


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“In Small Places, Close to Home”: Exploring Eleanor Roosevelt's UN Legacy

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