About the Leo Nevas Human Rights Task Force

The UNA-USA Leo Nevas Human Rights Task Force is an advisory group of distinguished citizens knowledgeable and vitally concerned about international human rights and the role of the UN and the U.S. in protecting those rights. Since its establishment in 2007, the Task Force has been active in urging the U.S. to seek membership on the UN Human Rights Council and, as a member, to appoint a knowledgeable ambassador to the Council so as to maximize U.S. engagement and leadership.

Our Mission

The Task Force works to promote robust and effective U.S. participation at the Human Rights Council, and to improve the effectiveness of the Council. The Task Force also encourages constructive U.S. engagement through other UN human rights bodies to promote the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, American values and human rights interests, as well as progress toward a more just and peaceful world.
Some of the Task Force’s activities have included:

• Preparing media statements, and other public communications on critical international human rights issues;
• Meeting with and preparing letters to the Administration, Members of Congress, and the UN on issues requiring U.S. attention and action;
• Convening round table meetings and panel discussions with expert speakers for the benefit of the wider human rights community and the public;
• Issuing policy papers;
• Recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievement and commitment to the promotion of human rights through the annual Leo Nevas Human Rights award.

Members of the Leo Nevas Human Rights Task Force

Felice Gaer (Chair), Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights

Diego Arria, former Permanent Representative of Venezuela and President of the Security Council

Kirk Boyd, Boalt Hall School of Law at University of California, Berkeley

Joshua Cooper, University of Hawaii

A. Edward Elmendorf, World Bank

Toby Gati, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Robert Rifkind, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

Nancy Rubin, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Commission on Human Rights

Lawrence Moss, Human Rights Watch

Susan Myers, UN Foundation

William vanden Heuvel, Allen and Company (former U.S. Ambassador)

Joanna Weschler, Security Council Report

The Leo Nevas Program on Human Rights was established by UNA-USA based on the shared belief that human rights should be an essential component of U.S. foreign policy and that UNA should reflect this belief in the policies it advocates for the U.S. at the UN. The founding Chair of the Task Force was Leo Nevas, a longtime UNA-USA leader whose lifelong commitment to the work of the UN and the promotion of human rights was well-known and widely recognized among professionals working in these fields. Since the death of Mr. Nevas in 2009, the Task Force has continued to carry out its advocacy work.