Hey Amicae!
Every two weeks, join three law students over espresso as we dive into overlooked human rights cases and unpack global injustice with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
Originally from Austria, Italy, Switzerland, we discuss international law, global standards and shortcomings. We draw from our own experience - and the occasional expert voice.
Whether you are an expert of international law or just interested in learning about fascinating real life stories from around the world (and their legal context), join us for strong coffee and even stronger opinions!
- Mara, Simona and Sofia
19. Forced Sterilization in Peru - The Battle for Reproductive Justice
Grab your coffee and join us as we head to Peru to examine a state-sponsored family planning program in the 1990s that led to widespread human rights abuses against rural and Indigenous populations.
This episode unpacks the case of Celia Edith Ramos Durand, a mother of three who died following a sterilization procedure administered under a system of medical quotas. We discuss how international development funds were utilized during this period, analyze the coercion used by local health clinics, and track the 29-year legal battle that recently culminated in a landmark judgment by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
From there, we break down the international legal framework, including the Court’s new classification of “reproductive violence” and its ruling on domestic amnesty laws. Finally, we draw a comparison with similar historical and ongoing issues in Canada, before connecting these past policies directly to Peru’s current presidential election.
For any question or correction (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at: contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com
1 Jun 2026
18. Child Labour in Côte d'Ivoire - Who Pays for your Chocolate?
Grab your coffee and join us as we head to West Africa, where chocolate, child trafficking, and corporate accountability collide.
In this episode, we tell the story of eight children from Mali, aged 10 to 14, who were trafficked to cocoa plantations in Côte d'Ivoire, forced to work without pay, and subjected to brutal violence when they tried to escape. Their story led to one of the most significant lawsuits in the emerging field of business and human rights: a case brought against some of the world's biggest chocolate companies, including Nestlé, Mars, Cargill, and Hershey.
We explore the paradox of Côte d'Ivoire: the world's largest cocoa exporter, responsible for 40% of global production, yet a country where the profits of chocolate remain firmly in the hands of European and American multinationals. Despite repeated commitments to end child labour, an estimated 1.6 million children still harvest cocoa in West Africa today.
At the legal heart of the episode lies a thorny question: can corporations be held responsible for human rights violations that occur deep in their supply chains? We unpack the broader landscape of business and human rights law, andthe troubling argument made by Nestlé and Cargill's lawyers: that corporations simply cannot be liable under international law for aiding and abetting child slavery.
So, who bears the responsibility when a global industry is built on child labour?
For any question or correction (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at: contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com (mailto:contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com)
13 May 2026
17. Gender based violence in Ethiopia - Threats of the Digital Age
Grab your coffee and join us as we head to Ethiopia - where feminism, online violence, armed conflict, and digital technology collide.
In this episode, we explore the story of Yordanos Bezabih, an Ethiopian women’s rights activist and engineer who became the target of years of online harassment, deepfake abuse, stalking, and death threats because of her feminist advocacy. From coordinated Telegram campaigns to doxxing and AI-generated sexual content, we look at how online violence against women can quickly spill into the offline world.
We also dive into the broader context behind her story: the devastating Tigray war, one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century, marked by allegations of genocide, mass sexual violence, and ethnic persecution. Why was this conflict so underreported internationally? And how has wartime violence shaped the current climate for women and activists in Ethiopia today?
Alongside this, we unpack the growing phenomenon of technology-facilitated gender-based violence - from deepfakes and cyber harassment to image-based abuse and online hate campaigns. As AI-generated content becomes more convincing and social media platforms struggle - or fail - to moderate harmful content, what responsibilities do states and companies like Meta actually have?
We also discuss international human rights protections, including the ICCPR and CEDAW, and ask whether existing laws are capable of protecting women in increasingly digital societies.
How dangerous can online hate become when it is left unchecked? What happens when feminist activism itself becomes politicized? And are governments and tech companies doing enough to stop digital violence before it turns physical?
For any question or correction (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at: contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com
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