Elaine Pearson, "Chasing Wrongs and Rights: My Experience Defending Human Rights Around the World" (Simon & Schuster, 2022)

New Books in Australian and New Zealand Studies

Chasing Wrongs and Rights: My Experience Defending Human Rights Around the World (Simon & Schuster, 2022) by Elaine Pearson, the Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, is an intimate account of her journey fighting for human rights across the world. Part personal journey, part insider’s peek into the work of international human rights organizations, Chasing Wrongs and Rights is also a primer on advocacy with governments, an indictment of Australia’s human rights record and foreign policy, a career guide for people who want to work in human rights, and a reflection about what it takes for human rights change to happen. Above all the book comes out as a tribute to the activists and victims that she met, worked with, and fought for over the years in Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and many other places. In this interview, Elaine talks about the work that Human Rights Watch does, her family history in China, her early career in anti-trafficking, her run-ins with abusive or complacent governments, and why fighting for accountability always makes a difference.

Nicholas Bequelin is a human rights professional with a PhD in history and a scholarly bent. He has worked about 20 years for Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, most recently as Regional director for Asia. He’s currently a Visiting Scholar and Lecturer at Yale Law School.

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