Launch event: In January 2011, Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School, the Committee on International Human Rights of the New York City Bar Association, the Cornell Law School International Human Rights Clinic and Virtue Foundation released a new report that examines acid attacks in Bangladesh, Cambodia, and India.

Acid violence is a devastating form of gender-based violence in which acid is deliberately thrown on a victim, causing severe disfigurement and physical injury, lasting emotional trauma, and sometimes even death.

Drawing upon field work conducted by the Avon Global Center and the Cornell International Human Rights Clinic, in collaboration with the New York City Bar Association, the report presents a comparative analysis of the successes and challenges in combating impunity for acid attacks in these three countries. It also seeks to identify best practices that states could adopt to prevent acid violence and to punish its perpetrators.

Please join us for a special panel discussion marking the report launch: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 6:30 p.m. at the Cornell Club in New York City.

Featured Panelists

• Honorable Janet Bond Arterton, U.S. District Judge for the District of Connecticut
• Dr. Ebby Elahi, Associate Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai Medical Center & Director, International Affairs, Virtue Foundation
• Professor Sital Kalantry, Associate Clinical Professor at Cornell Law School
• Sujata Warrier, Director, NYC Program, New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence & Former Country Director, American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative in Bangladesh

Our guest speakers will discuss the international problem of acid violence, related legal and medical considerations, and the findings of the report.

The discussion will be moderated by Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, Program Director, Virtue Foundation & Member, International Human Rights Committee, the New York City Bar Association.

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