Bridging public health, transnational law and human rights to help advance health justice and promote global health equity

 
 
 

I’m Roojin (roo-zheen, she/her/hers)

 

I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law (Common Law Section), a Senior Visiting Fellow of the United Nations University’s International Institute for Global Health, and a Research Fellow of the Global Strategy Lab based at York University and the University of Ottawa. Bridging the fields of international law, health law and human rights, my current research program examines normative interpretation and change in global health law. My research has led to the convening of several international conferences as well as publications across a range of venues, including in journals of public health and medicine, law and social science reviews, commissioned reports, foundational law textbooks, and public news and media outlets.

I have a longstanding commitment to impact-driven research. In 2019, I was the lead author and rapporteur of the "Stellenbosch Consensus Statement on Legal National Responses to Public Health Risks," providing the world’s first in-depth interpretation of the legal parameters governing the application of cross-border health measures under the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) 2005 International Health Regulations. This consensus statement developed with leading international law scholars and practitioners from around the world served as a catalyst for the formation of the "Global Health Law Consortium," a permanent research collaborative that I have helped shape since 2020.  

Currently, I am closely studying ongoing negotiations to draft a WHO pandemic instrument and to amend the International Health Regulations. In 2022, I was appointed by the WHO Director-General to the Review Committee regarding amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005), providing technical recommendations to States on more than 300 proposed amendments to the Regulations. Alongside these roles, I have led consensus-building initiatives at the frontiers of health and human rights, charting a partnership between the Global Health Law Consortium and the International Commission of Jurists that culminated in the 2023 Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Public Health Emergencies

I am a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar, a recipient of the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Doctoral Award, and was elected by Lincoln Alexander School of Law’s Class of 2025 for the Contract Faculty Teaching Award. I am or have been a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on health research and advocacy projects funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Open Society Foundations, the United Kingdom Research Institute, and the Brocher Foundation

I currently teach in the areas of public and constitutional law, and public and global health law. I hold a law degree (J.D.) from the University of Ottawa's French Common Law program, a specialization in transnational law from the University of Geneva, and a Master’s of Science in Global Health from McMaster University. I am also a Barrister and Solicitor in Good Standing with the Law Society of Ontario and fluent in English, French, and Farsi. For more updates on my work, connect on Twitter via @RoojinHabibi.

 
 
 
 

Publications

How do transnational institutions, norms and actors shape struggles for health equity and justice?

 
 

I study a range of public health law and policy issues to unpack this query.

My research strives to contribute both to empirical and theoretical academic knowledge, while embracing opportunities for creative collaboration and multisectoral partnership.

Most of my published work is available open access. To receive a copy of any that are not, please email me.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public Engagement

Click below for a selection of my past speaking engagements at national and international conferences, as well as with print and broadcast news media. For opinion pieces written by me, please see Publications.

 
 
 

Keynote, Panel & Other Presentations

  • Advancing Health Justice in a Turbulent World: A University of Ottawa Symposium Commemorating 75 Years of the WHO and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Faculty of Law (Common Law Section), University of Ottawa. Ottawa, Canada. 8 December (Host, with ICJ Canada, Global Health Law Consortium, Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, Human Rights Research and Education Centre, and ASIL Interest Group in Global Health Law).

    Young Scholars’ Workshop. Canadian Yearbook of International Law & the International Law Group, University of Ottawa. Ottawa, Canada. 1 November (Commentator, with Godwin E. K. Dzah).

    Making Rights Matter in Post-Pandemic Reforms. Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, University of Ottawa. Ottawa, Canada. 5 October (Speaker, with Errol Mendes & Masud Husain).

    The Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Public Health Emergencies: From Expert Consensus to Global Action. Center for Medical Ethics and Law, University of Hong Kong. Hong Kong. 22 August (Invited Speaker).

    Human Rights 75 Roundtable – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 75: Looking to Future Generations. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 26 June (Panelist, with Magdalena Sepùlveda Carmona, Jasmina Byrne & Andrew David Raine).

    Reforming Global Health Law for Rights-Based Approaches to Pandemic Preparedness and Response. Department of Global and Public Health, McGill University. 14 June (Guest Lecturer, McGill Summer Institute on Pandemic Preparedness, Alert & Response).

    Beyond Panic & Neglect – Building a Human Rights Framework for Public Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response. Geneva, Switzerland. 23 May (Host, with Graduate Institute Global Health Centre, Global Health Law Consortium & International Commission of Jurists).

    Bridging the Gaps: Vaccine inequity in the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. American Society of International Law’s 117th Annual Meeting. Washington, DC. 29 March (Moderator, with Steven Solomon, Luke McDonagh, Padideh Ala’i & Jelena Madir).

    American Society of International Law 117th Annual Meeting: The Reach and Limits of International Law to Solve Today's Challenges. American Society of International Law. Washington, DC. 29-31 March (with Priya Pillai, Jennifer Permesly, Sergio Puig & ASIL Annual Meeting Committee).

    International Law, Coloniality & Global Health. Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa. Ottawa, Canada. 22 March (Guest Lecturer, Deconstructing Racism - CML 4914)

    From Crisis to Change: Charting a New Course for Global Health Through International Law. School of Public and International Affairs, Glendon College, York University. Toronto, Canada. 16 February (Guest Lecturer).

    Concluding Workshop on the Principles and Guidelines for Human Rights & Public Health Emergencies. Fondation Brocher. Hermance, Switzerland. 17 – 18 January (Host, with Global Health Law Consortium and the International Commission of Jurists).

    Equity Models for a Pandemic Agreement – WHO Collaborating Centre Support for New Coordinating Mechanisms. UNAIDS, O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law & Foundation for National Institutes of Health. Geneva, Switzerland. 16 – 17 January (Discussant, with: Gian Luca Burci, Precious Matsoso Noor Nakibuuka Musisi & Stephanie Dagron).

  • Pandemics, Boundaries and the Law. The London International Boundary Conference. Volterra Fietta and King’s College London. 13 December (Panelist, with: Robert Volterra, Thana de Campos-Rudinsky, Olipa Jere, Anti Malhotra & Bhupinder Singh).

    Empowering Graduate Students to Become Global Leaders: Practical Tips to Transform Learners into Innovators. 60th Annual Canadian Association for Graduate Studies Conference. 2 November (Panelist, with: Jasmine Mah, Prativa Baral, Tobias Gerhard Schminke & Michelle Liu).

    Vaccine Passports: Considerations of Privacy, Security and International Coordination. Borders, Boundaries & Pandemics, University of Ottawa Centre for Health Law and Ethics. 22 October (Chair, with: Pedro Villarreal, Vivek Krishnamurthy & Michael Veale).

    Centering Human Dignity and Rights in International Law’s Discourse on Public Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response. SSHRC Explore Grant Research Symposium on Adequate Preparedness and Response to Future Pandemics through the Creation of a Regional Framework for Health Governance within the Inter-American Human Rights System. 28 September (Invited Speaker).

    Revising the Human Rights Guiding Principles on Public Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response: Deliberation of Regional Consultation Leads (‘Nairobi Summit’). British Institute in Eastern Africa. Nairobi, Kenya. 6-7 September (Host, with: Global Health Law Consortium and the International Commission of Jurists).

    Global Health Law and Pandemics: From COVID-19 to a Pandemic Treaty? ICON-S. 5 July (Panelist, with: Aeyal Gross, Alicia Ely Yamin & Pedro Villarreal).

    Human Rights in a Pandemic Treaty: Drafting Workshop. Hikma Summit of International Relations. 13 May (Workshop Expert, with: Timothy Fish Hodgson)

    Reforming Global Health Law to Respond to Pandemic Threats. 30 March (Panelist, with: Benjamin Meier, Lawrence Gostin, Ana Ayala & Nithin Ramakrishnan)

    Multilateralism in Flux. Canadian International Council Hamilton Branch. 16 March (Panelist, with: David Malone & Rory Nisan)

    The International Legal System. Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice 16th Annual Student Conference. 31 January (Panelist, with: Uchechukwu Ngwaba, David Walders & Bryce Edwards)

    Global Public Sociology Conversations: Global Solidarity and Cooperation, Human Rights and Vaccine Equity. York University Department of Sociology. 28 January (Panelist, with: Obiora C. Okafor, S Harris Ali & Sylvia Bawa)

  • Expert Consensus Conference on Human Rights Principles and Guidelines for Public Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response. Mantello, Italy. 22 – 23 November (Host, with: Global Health Law Consortium and the International Commission of Jurists).

    Vaccine Apartheid & Canada’s Role in Global Health. LegalVoices Conference (Lincoln Alexander School of Law). 13 November (Panelist, with: Uchechukwu Ngwaba, Obiora C. Okafor & Sanjay Ruparelia).

    Global Health Law in the Time of COVID-19: Towards Systemic Integration in International Trade Law, Human Rights Law and Global Health Law. Canadian Council of International Law Annual Meeting. 22 October (Chair, with: Tim Fish Hodgson, Katrina Perehudoff & Benjamin Meier).

    Draft Principles on Human Rights for the Proposed Pandemic Treaty. Open Society Foundations. 14 October (Moderator, with: Tim Fish Hodgson, Alexandra Phelan, Rajat Khosla, Tlaleng Mofokeng & Benjamin Meier).

    Precarity in a Time of Global Health Crisis: Reconciling International Legal Imperatives in Public Health, Human Rights, and Solidarity. Faculty of Law, University of Cape Town & Berkeley Center for Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law. 14 July (Keynote Address).

    COVID-19 & cross-border health measures: Lessons learned and critical questions for the future of the International Health Regulations. Global Health Centre (74th World Health Assembly Side Event). 26 May (Panelist, with: Barbara von Tigerstrom, Lisa Forman, Diego S. Silva, Karen Grépin, Catherine Worsnop, James Wiltshire & Jason Win).

    Pandemic, Inequalities, Human Rights, and Nation States: Analyzing the Impact of Globalization and Canada’s Role. Canadian International Council Winnipeg Branch. 15 April (Panelist, with: Alexander Reyes & Elisabeth Vallet).

    From Revision to Revival: Transforming the International Health Regulations for a Pandemic Resilient Future. International Studies Association 2021 Annual Conference. 6 April (Panelist, with: Susan Rogers Van Katwyk, Isaac Weldon, Alexandra Phelan & Lisa Forman).

    Roundtable Discussion on Global Access to the COVID-19 Vaccine. Maryland Journal of International Law. 2 April (Panelist, with: Emmanuel Oke, Diane Desierto & Anthony So).

    Foreign Policy by Canadians: Global Public Health. Canadian International Council (CIC), Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) & Global Canada. 30 March 2021 (Panelist, with: Nadja Pollaert, Margaret Catley-Carlson, Nilima Gulrajani & Julia Anderson).

    New Approaches and Lessons Learned in Inter-Governmental Pandemic Response Coordination. American Society of International Law 2021 Annual Meeting (Reconceiving International Law: Creativity in Times of Crisis). 26 March (Moderator, with: Funmi Olarunnipa Badejo, Thomas Bollyky, Lu Chuanying & Caroline Edwards).

    Harnessing Global Health Law to Respond to Pandemic Threats. Consortium of Universities for Global Health 2021 Conference. 14 March (Panelist, with: Benjamin Meier, Lawrence O. Gostin & Sharifah Sekalala).

    Health, Human Rights and Covid-19. University of Toronto International Human Rights Program, and Queen’s University. 24 February (Panel Expert)

    Emerging into the Future: Trends in Law, Medicine and Technology Post-Pandemic. Center for Global Governance and Emerging Law. 18 February (Panelist).

    Demystifying International Law: Speed Mentoring in International Law. Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa. 29 January 2021 (Speed Mentor).

  • Human Rights in the Age of COVID. The Society for International Affairs (Trinity College Dublin). 26 November (Panelist, with: Michael O’Flaherty, Liam Herrick & István Hegedűs)

    The International Health Regulations: Are They Working? O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law Colloquium. Zoom Teleconference. 11 November (Panelist, with: Gian Luca Burci, Allyn Taylor & Benjamin Meier).

    What Would Everyday Canadians Want Canada To Do? Framing the Debate for Citizens. Canadian International Council. Zoom Teleconference. 9 November (Panelist, with: Valerie Percival, Nilima Gulrajani & Ben Rowswell).

    Global Health Governance Post-COVID-19. Liberal Party of Canada Human Rights Caucus. Zoom Teleconference. 21 September (Panel Expert, with: Lawrence O. Gostin, Allyn L. Taylor & James Orbinski).

    Human Rights Principles in Times of Public Health Emergency: A Proposal. International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) – COVID-19 and Siracusa Principles. Zoom Teleconference. 12 June (Oral Presentation).

    Devising Post-Pandemic Rights-Based Approaches to Global Health & Gender – SDGs 3 & 5. Zoom Teleconference. 15 May 2020 (Intervenor).

    American Model World Health Organization International Conference: Refugee and Migrant Health. University of North Carolina Zoom Teleconference. 3-5 April (Panelist, with: Benjamin Meier & Gian Luca Burci).

  • Article 43 of the WHO’s International Health Regulations. Consensus Conference on Global Health Law. Stellenbosch, South Africa. 10 - 12 April (Oral Presentation and Discussion Facilitator).

  • Health Law in Research and Practice. Queen’s Health Law Association, Kingston, Ontario. 4 March (Panelist, with: Nareh Ghalustians, & John McIntyre).

    2018 Calgary Luncheon Speaker Series: Cannabis. Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Calgary, Alberta. 30 November (Panelist, with Lorian Hardcastle & Jonathan Denis).

    International legal dimensions of cannabis legalization: Reconciling national priorities with international obligations. McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy. Montreal, Québec. 26 - 27 April (Speaker).

  • Current and future roles of global health law. International Studies Association Annual Convention. Baltimore, United States. 25 February 2017 (Panelist, with: Susan Rogers Van Katwyk).

    Disclosing financial relationships between physicians and industry: Proposal for a comparative policy analysis in Australia, France and the United States. VELiM Conversation. Sydney, Australia. 2 July 2015 (Oral Presentation).

    Regulating the pharmaceutical sales visit in Canada, France and the United States: a comparative qualitative analysis of stakeholder opinions on regulatory effectiveness. Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research. Montreal, Québec. 26-28 May 2015 (Poster Presentation).

    « La réglementation sur la visite médicale, qu’en pensez-vous? » Une étude comparant les opinions des informateurs clés sur la réglementation en matière de visite médicale en France, au Canada et aux États-Unis. Réncontres Prescrire. Paris, France. 2014 (Oral Presentation).

    An analysis of the effect of clinical evidence and policy on the content of drug promotions. Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics National Student Conference. Hamilton, Ontario. 9 - 10 May 2014 (Poster Presentation).

    Do promotions by pharmaceutical sales representatives vary according to the level of clinical evidence and national policy? A research in progress. Pharmaceutical Policy Research Collaboration Meeting. Ottawa, Ontario. 28 - 30 April 2014 (Oral Presentation).

    Quality and quantity of information in Summary Basis of decision documents issued by Health Canada. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health Symposium. Gatineau, Québec. 6-8 April 2014 (Poster Presentation).

 

Select Press, TV & Radio Appearances

 

 
 
 

Get in touch.

Whether you're a student, a reporter or otherwise looking to collaborate, I'd love to hear from you. I also welcome inquiries for pro bono consulting.

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