In this second episode of Conversations with Young Justice Leaders, Grace Hulseman interviews Meg Satterthwaite, Professor of Law at New York University and United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

In this interview, Meg discusses her formative experience working on Haiti's Truth and Justice Commission in 1995, which inspired her to pursue law school. She explains her current role as UN Special Rapporteur and identifies the global trend of "autocratization" as the greatest threat to judicial independence today. Meg emphasizes that protecting judicial independence isn't just about judges: it's about ensuring everyone's right to fair and impartial justice. The conversation also covers mental health challenges in human rights work, the importance of self-care, and practical career advice for young professionals navigating funding cuts in the sector.

Find the transcript here.

Links to initiatives mentioned in the episode:

• World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index
• Find out more about jailhouse lawyers
• Find out more about Meg’s work as a Special Rapporteur
• Find out more about Meg’s work at New York University

Learn more about the Young Justice Leaders here.

The Conversations with Young Justice Leaders podcast is hosted by the Young Justice Leaders, a group of young changemakers from across the globe who represent young and innovative voices and are influencing international dialogues and research around justice.

• For more, visit the podcast on our website here.
• Subscribe to get updates on our latest episodes, events, and resources.

The Young Justice Leaders is a project of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Youtube, or anywhere else you subscribe to podcasts! Credits: This episode was produced by Leah Guyot, and editorial support provided by Thibault Chareton, Symphony Chau, Catherine Wang, and Grace Hulseman. Music © / Adobe Stock.

Read transcript

In this first episode of Conversations with Young Justice Leaders, Eva Langbehn interviews María Fernanda Rodríguez, Senior Fellow at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation and Coordinator of the Technical Secretariat of the Iberoamerican Alliance on Access to Justice.

In this interview, Maria Fernanda discusses what drew her to the justice field, and describes herself as having an "intolerance for injustice" since childhood, along with a familial background that instilled in her a strong sense of social responsibility. She saw firsthand how the justice system often fails vulnerable populations, particularly women and highlights her work on expanding access to justice in remote regions. She also discusses the Latin American context, its challenges and opportunities, and the important role of civil society and youth in driving change.

This episode was conducted in Spanish, with a dubbed version of the episode coming soon.

The full Spanish transcript can be found on our website.

• Learn more about the Young Justice Leaders here.
• Learn more about the Ibero American Alliance for Access to Justice here

The Conversations with Young Justice Leaders podcast is hosted by the Young Justice Leaders, a group of young changemakers from across the globe who represent young and innovative voices and are influencing international dialogues and research around justice.

• For more, visit the podcast on our website here.
• Subscribe to get updates on our latest episodes, events, and resources.

The Young Justice Leaders is a project of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Youtube, or anywhere else you subscribe to podcasts!

Credits: This episode was produced by Leah Guyot, and editorial support provided by Thibault Chareton, Symphony Chau, Catherine Wang, Laura Ospina, Mercedes Correa Sarravia, and Eva Langbehn. With thanks to Daniela Cantillo for lending her voice to the Spanish-language introduction and closing.

Music © / Adobe Stock.

Read transcript

Episode 1 of Conversations with Young Justice Leaders is coming in May 2025.

##

This podcast is hosted by the Young Justice Leaders, a group of young changemakers from across the globe who represent young and innovative voices and are influencing international dialogues and research around justice.

• For more, visit the podcast on our website here.
• Subscribe to get updates on our latest episodes, events, and resources.

The Young Justice Leaders is a project of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University.

Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere else you find podcasts.

Credits: Hosted by the Young Justice Leaders. Produced and edited by Léah Guyot, with support from Thibault Chareton, Symphony Chau, Catherine Wang. Music © / Adobe Stock.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Read transcript