Leading international human rights advocate Prof. Catharine MacKinnon is to receive an honorary doctorate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in recognition of her work in advancing gender equality. She will receive the honor at the opening Convocation of the 71st meeting of the University’s Board of Governors, on Sunday 1 June 2008.
According to Hebrew University President Prof. Menachem Magidor, the degree is being awarded to her “in deep recognition of her important and pioneering contribution to equality between the sexes and human rights, and in thanks to her warm friendship with the Hebrew University.”
Prof. Catharine MacKinnon is a pioneering lawyer of international renown, a leader in feminist jurisprudence and an international human rights advocate. She has broken new ground in gender equality in both international and constitutional law. Her insights on the legal concept of equality have transformed legal and philosophical thinking of sexual harassment, pornography, free speech and international law.
She has represented Bosnian women survivors of Serbian genocidal sexual atrocities since 1992, winning with a damage award of $745 million in August 2000. Their case, Kadic v. Karadzic, first recognized rape as an act of genocide. …
