Women in Conflict: Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Ukraine

Professor Margaret deGuzman (left) and Cornelius Nolen ’95 (right)

On February 1, 2018, the Institute for International Law and Public Policy hosted a lecture by Cornelius Nolen ’95, entitled “Women in Conflict: Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.”  Mr. Nolen was joined in conversation by Temple Law Professor Margaret deGuzman, a leading expert in International Criminal Law and International Humanitarian Law.  The talk detailed Mr. Nolen’s time in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.  Using specific cases and experiences, he explained how women in particular areas of conflict navigate social, political, and legal systems.  At the conclusion of his lecture, Mr. Nolen answered questions from students and faculty members.  He also provided insights to students seeking careers in different fields of international law.

Mr. Nolen currently serves as a legal monitor in Lughansk, Ukraine for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the world’s largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization.  In this capacity, he observes and works with growing legal systems, often dealing with human rights and gender-equality issues.  Prior to his work in Ukraine, Mr. Nolen worked as a Senior Democratization Officer in Kosovo for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.  While in Kosovo, he advised the Department of Human Rights and Communities on regional political and security issues.

Professor Jaya Ramji-Nogales introduces Professor Margaret deGuzman and Cornelius Nolen ’95

From 2010-12, Mr. Nolen worked to implement the Justice and Human Rights in Afghanistan Project with the United Nations Development Programme.  While in Kabul, he helped develop sub-national programs to construct and rehabilitate judicial infrastructure.  Prior to his time in Afghanistan, Mr. Nolen worked for the American Bar Association as the Country Director in Serbia. Before that, he spent eight years with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, advising on issues of international criminal law, women’s rights, and humanitarian law.

Mr. Nolen graduated from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law in 1995.  He holds a Masters of Arts in Latin American Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts in History from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.  After graduating from Temple Law, Mr. Nolen worked in Washington, D.C. as a Staff Attorney for Ayuda, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing a wide range of legal services to immigrants and asylum-seekers.

This event was co-sponsored by the International Law Society and the Temple Women’s Law Caucus.