Our story
The Observatory is directed by Professor Pascale Fournier, who contributes to the development of the Observatory's strategic plan in collaboration with the University of Ottawa, and oversees its academic outreach in terms of research, teaching, communications and fund-raising strategies.
UN expert Ibrahim Salama assumes the role of Associate Director of the Observatory: he contributes to training programs through collaboration with targeted UN actors, supervises student work and ensures the Observatory's influence in the international arena.
Professor Fournier and UN expert Ibrahim Salama co-teach the "Comparative Human Rights: A Field Approach" course, which includes a portion held at the University of Ottawa (directed research) and a portion held at the United Nations in Geneva during consultations designed for this purpose by UN human rights mechanisms (presentation of directed research).
Dre Pascale Fournier
Head of the Observatory
Holder of a Doctor of Laws degree from Harvard University and Founding Director of the Human Rights Observatory at the UN, Pascale Fournier is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa and an internationally recognized leader whose academic career is distinguished by exceptional multidisciplinary achievements. Deeply committed to access to justice, Professor Fournier’s work and award-winning scholarship focus on equality rights, comparative law, human rights, responsible citizenship, and Canada’s role on the global stage. She has delivered more than 120 lectures around the world and has developed concrete policy recommendations while fostering inclusive dialogue between civil society, academia, and government institutions.
Dr. Fournier’s distinguished career, engaged leadership, and longstanding commitment to advancing human rights are reflected in a number of prominent leadership roles. She served as law clerk to the Honourable Justice Claire L’Heureux-Dubé at the Supreme Court of Canada (2000–2001); Vice-Dean of Research (2010–2012) and Chairholder of the Research Chair on Legal Pluralism and Comparative Law (2012–2018) at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law; Commissioner at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, where she fulfilled a quasi-judicial role in discrimination cases (2015–2018); and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation (2018–2023). She has also taught law at the State University of Haiti, the University for Peace in Costa Rica, and the Women’s Rights Research Institute in Iran.
Pascale Fournier has received numerous prestigious honours and distinctions, including the Fulbright Program Fellowship (2001) and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship (2003) in support of her graduate studies at Harvard Law School; the Raymond-Blais Medal from Université Laval (Young Graduate Award, 2008); the Advocatus Emeritus (Ad. E.) distinction from the Barreau du Québec (2009); the University of Ottawa Award for Excellence in Media Relations (2011); the Canada-Arab Chamber of Commerce Award for “Academic Excellence and Contribution to Humanity” (2014); recognition as one of the “25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada” by Canadian Lawyer magazine (2015); the Gloire de l’Escolle Medal from Université Laval (Distinguished Graduate Award, 2016); recognition on the “Wall of Exceptional Alumni” at Cégep Garneau (2016); and the Ottawa Education Network Award for Teaching Excellence (2016).
Beyond her academic work, Pascale Fournier has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to build transformative leadership initiatives and foster a culture of inclusion, dialogue, and meaningful community engagement. In 2014, she was selected as a Leadership Fellow of the International Women’s Forum, joining a cohort of 36 distinguished women leaders from around the world. In 2015, she was chosen as one of Canada’s emerging leaders from the fields of business, government, NGOs, education, culture, and labour through the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. In 2016, she was elected to the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada.
Most recently, Pascale Fournier was awarded a three-year Partnership Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) for the project “Developing a Collaborative Research Partnership Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Self-Determination, and the Harmful and Discriminatory Legacy of the Indian Act.” Her interdisciplinary approach and unifying vision continue to inspire students who aspire to create meaningful change in the world. Alongside her, they present their research in accessible and impactful ways to the broader public and to leading academic and international institutions, including the United Nations.