- Pritzker Fellows
- Current Fellows
- Génesis Dávila
Génesis Dávila
Human Rights Lawyer & Founder and President of Defiende Venezuela
Biography
Génesis Dávila is a distinguished lawyer and Fulbright scholar. She graduated summa cum laude from Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela, in 2014, and furthered her legal expertise with an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from New York University in 2022. By 2017, she had founded 'Defiende Venezuela,' an NGO dedicated to strategic international litigation and human rights advocacy before international bodies and courts, an initiative that earned her the Georgetown University Global Impact Award.
Throughout her career, Ms. Dávila has represented over 2,000 victims across various platforms, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, and United Nations mechanisms. She worked for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 2015 and for the U.N. Team of Experts on Sexual Violence in Conflict-related situations in 2017. Additionally, she serves as an advisor to the Organization of American States International Independent Panel of Experts on Crimes Against Humanity for Venezuela. Committed to human rights advocacy, she has trained human rights advocates from Belarus, China, Cuba, and Venezuela in documentation, activism, and strategic litigation.
In recent years, Ms. Dávila has been deeply committed to initiatives aimed at protecting human rights defenders at risk. She has collaborated with the Natalia Project, run by the Swedish organization Civil Rights Defenders, and the Shelter City Program, managed by the Dutch organization Justice and Peace. In 2020, she relocated to the Netherlands, where she provided assistance to survivors of human trafficking and documented cases of Syrian victims of gender-based violence.
Ms. Dávila has been featured in renowned media outlets such as CNN, The Washington Post, NTN24, NPR, Voice of America, and The New York Times. She co-authored "Pathway to Justice: Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners," a practical guide that gathers the experiences, best practices, and advice from former political prisoners, their families, and experts worldwide, for the World Liberty Congress.
Seminars
“Unmasking Repression: Political Persecution & Arbitrary Detentions”
Across the globe, political persecution and arbitrary detentions have been the dark instruments of repression employed by authoritarian regimes. The latest and most notable example is in the post-election chaos in Venezuela, where Genesis Davila has long labored to assist Venezuelan victims of human rights violations and crimes against humanity.
As the founder of Defiende Venezuela, in Caracas, Genesis has represented more than 2000 victims before international bodies and courts such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Interamerican Court of Human Rights, United Nations, and the International Criminal Court. Her expansive background in defending human rights defies her age, and extends to wrongful imprisonment, the investigation and adjudication of sexual violence perpetrators and torture.
In her seminars, Genesis will probe the historical and contemporary cases, the mechanisms used to justify and carry out such acts, and discuss the profound impact on individuals, families, and societies. Expect in-depth discussions, case studies, virtual reality experiences, and guest lectures from experts and survivors, providing a comprehensive understanding of human rights violations and the global efforts to combat them.
Seminars are open to current UChicago students only.
Following the July presidential elections in my country, the Maduro regime refused to recognize the election results, leading to an alarming escalation of violence and thousands of politically motivated, arbitrary detentions and worse. I spent late summer in Washington, D.C., monitoring and documenting the situation and pressing for arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court while my team in Caracas provided essential legal support to the victims of this repression. This is the most urgent and personal work of my career fighting political prosecution, the terms of which I will define for you here. The seminar will culminate with the participation of our esteemed guest, Maria Corina Machado.
Special Guest (via Zoom): Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s Opposition Leader.
What are the historical roots of arbitrary detentions and contemporary manifestations? We will discuss the legal frameworks that classify these actions as human rights violations and the international bodies that monitor and address them. We will look at historical examples of political persecution and arbitrary detentions, such as the Stalinist purges, the Pinochet regime in Chile, the military dictatorship in Argentina, and apartheid South Africa. We will analyze the methods used, the justifications given and the international responses to these violations.
Special Guest (via Zoom): Luis Moreno Ocampo, First Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (2003-2012)
Optional Reading & Viewing:
- Read Chapter 1 of Pathway to Freedom: Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, written by Génesis Dávila and Marian Da Silva in 2023. This book is a meticulously crafted guide focusing on the liberation of political prisoners. It synthesizes the wisdom of political prisoners, their families, legal experts, and human rights advocates, offering a roadmap to navigate the complex landscape of political detentions.
- Watch the movie Argentina 1985, a gripping legal drama based on the true events of the Trial of the Juntas, which brought to justice the leaders of Argentina’s military dictatorship. This film is based on the experiences of our guest speaker, Luis Moreno Ocampo, who served as prosecutor in the case.
This week, we will examine current instances of political persecution and arbitrary detentions, including cases from countries such as China, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, Russia, Belarus and Egypt. We will discuss the political contexts that give rise to these abuses and the challenges faced by victims in seeking justice.
Special Guest (via Zoom): Félix Maradiaga, President of the Foundation for the Freedom of Nicaragua & former Political Prisoner and Presidential Candidate in Nicaragua
Optional Reading:
- Read Chapters 1 to 3 of The Dissident: Alexey Navalny - Profile of a Political Prisoner, written by David Herszenhorn in 2023. This book provides an in-depth look at the life and activism of Alexey Navalny, a Russian opposition leader who has become a symbol of resistance against Vladimir Putin’s regime.
- Read Chapters 2 and 3 of Pathway to Freedom: Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, written by Génesis Dávila and Marian Da Silva.
We will explore the various tools and tactics used by regimes to carry out political persecution and arbitrary detentions, including legal manipulations, propaganda and surveillance. This session will also cover the role of security forces and the judiciary in perpetuating these practices.
Special Guests: Rodrigo Diamanti, Human Rights Activist & former Political Prisoner & Natalia Vivas, Human Rights Activist & Daughter of former Political Prisoner General Vivas
This session will focus on the personal and societal impacts of political persecution and arbitrary detentions. We will hear from survivors and family members who will share their experiences and discuss the long-term psychological, social and economic effects of these violations.
Special Guests: Paul Rusesabagina (via Zoom), Rwandan Dissident & former Political Prisoner; and His Daughter Anaise Kanimba, Human Rights Activist
Optional Reading & Viewing:
- Read Chapters 4 and 5 of Pathway to Freedom: Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, written by Génesis Dávila and Marian Da Silva.
- Watch the movie Hotel Rwanda, a historical drama that tells the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who saved the lives of over a thousand refugees during the Rwandan genocide.
*This seminar will take place on Tuesday, November 19 at 3:30pm.
In this session, we will discuss the international mechanisms available to address political persecution and arbitrary detentions, including the role of the United Nations, regional human rights courts and international NGOs. We will examine case studies of successful advocacy and legal action.
Special Guest (via Zoom): Ganna Yudkivska, Vice-Chair of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention & former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights
Optional Reading:
- Forms for the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD)
- Read Chapters 10 and 11 of Pathway to Freedom: Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, written by Génesis Dávila and Marian Da Silva.
The final session will focus on strategies for resisting political persecution and arbitrary detentions and promoting human rights reform. We will discuss the role of civil society, the importance of international solidarity and the potential for legal and political change.
Special Guest (via Zoom): Oleksandra Matviichuk, Ukrainian Human Rights Lawyer & Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Optional Reading & Viewing:
- Read Chapters 8 and 9 of Pathway to Freedom: Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, written by Génesis Dávila and Marian Da Silva in 2023.
- Watch the documentary Bringing Down a Dictator, which chronicles the nonviolent, student-led movement that successfully ousted Serbian dictator Slobodan Milošević.