Just Access

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Martin Perron, a lawyer and developer at the Government of Canada, about how Rules as Code can transform the way we understand and use law.Martin explains how encoding legislation can help identify gaps, run simulations, and even power trustworthy government chatbots. He reflects on the promise of democratizing access to legal knowledge, shares concrete examples of how businesses and citizens could benefit, and offers practical ways for listeners to get involved in this emerging field.What difference does it make to encode laws instead of just writing them? How can this improve access to justice? And how can people from different backgrounds—law, tech, or beyond—contribute to the movement? Join us as we unpack these questions and more.🧠 Topics Covered:⚖️ Using Rules as Code as a drafting and evaluation tool in Canada💻 The Access to Information Act modernization project🔍 How encoding rules can cut costs and speed up access to justice🏛️ Global developments: Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand, and beyond🌍 Democratizing legal knowledge for citizens and businesses🎓 How students, technologists, and legal experts can contribute🧑‍🏫 About the Guest:Martin Perron is a lawyer and developer with the Government of Canada, where he works on Rules as Code and legal automation initiatives. His projects focus on building trustworthy applications that improve access to justice, streamline legal processes, and explore the intersection of law, technology, and AI.🖱️ Resources & Links:Rules as Code Guild: https://rulesascode.orgOpenFisca Community: https://openfisca.orgGeorgetown University’s Rules as Code team: https://www.georgetown.eduDonate to support Just Access: https://just-access.de/donate

In this episode, we speak with Martin Perron, a lawyer and developer at the Government of Canada, about his unconventional path from law school to leading-edge work on Rules as Code.They explore how coding and law can be combined to make legislation clearer, more accessible, and more trustworthy. Martin also reflects on the potential of neuro-symbolic AI in legal applications and offers candid advice for students and young professionals navigating diverse interests.What does Rules as Code actually mean in practice? How can encoding legislation improve public understanding of complex legal obligations? And what can Martin’s story teach us about building unique expertise across disciplines? Join us as we unpack these questions and more.🧠 Topics Covered:⚖️ Martin’s journey from law student to lawyer-developer💻 What Rules as Code is and why it matters🧠 Neuro-symbolic AI and legal reasoning🔍 How coding can make laws clearer and easier to navigate🎓 Practical advice for students exploring multiple career paths🧑‍🏫 About the Guest:Martin Perron is a lawyer and developer with the Government of Canada, where he leads work on Rules as Code and hybrid neuro-symbolic AI initiatives. His projects focus on building trustworthy legal automation, simulation, and verification applications to improve access to justice.🖱️ Resources & Links:💡 Learn more about Just Access: https://just-access.de💸 Support our work: https://just-access.de/donate📧 Contact us: podcast@just-access.de💬 Get in Touch:📱 Follow, rate & share the podcast to help us grow our community of human rights defenders!

In this second part of our compelling discussion on peace and ceasefires, Dr. Miranda Melcher continues the conversation with Dr. Marika Sosnowski and Dr. Sanja Badanjak to explore the evolving landscape of ceasefires and peace agreements.They reflect on key trends from the 2024 data in the PA-X Peace Agreements Database, including the growing shift from comprehensive peace agreements to more fragmented, piecemeal negotiations. Together, they unpack what this means for global peacebuilding, humanitarian outcomes, and public expectations.Is a limited ceasefire better than no agreement at all? What should we look for in a peace deal to assess its effectiveness? What role do third parties and implementation mechanisms really play? Join us as we delve into these questions and more.🧠 Topics Covered:📊 New insights from the 2024 PA-X data release⚖️ Piecemeal vs. comprehensive peace agreements🤝 The role of ceasefires in humanitarian access🧩 Challenges of formal vs. informal peace talks🛑 What to watch for when peace deals are announced in the media🛠️ Practical design elements of ceasefires: timelines, power dynamics, third parties🧾 Surprising terms found in ceasefire agreements🧭 The future of peace mediation and data-driven analysis🧑‍🏫 About the Guests:Dr. Marika Sosnowski is a research fellow and legal scholar specializing in ceasefires, governance, and civil documentation in conflict zones.Dr. Sanja Badanjak is a political scientist and data director of the PA-X Peace Agreements Database at PeaceRep, University of Edinburgh.🖱️ Resources & Links:🔗 Explore the PA-X Database: https://www.peaceagreements.org🧪 Learn more about PeaceRep: https://peacerep.org💡 Read more about Just Access: https://just-access.de💬 Get in Touch:📧 Email us: podcast@just-access.de💸 Support our work: just-access.de/donate📱 Follow us and share the episode!

In this episode of the Just Access podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher dives into the complex world of ceasefires with two leading experts:🧠 Dr. Marika Sosnowski, legal scholar and author of Redefining Ceasefires: Wartime Order and Statebuilding in Syria, and📊 Dr. Sanja Badanjak, Data Director at PeaceRep and Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh Law School.Together, they explore:How and why ceasefires matter in war-torn societiesThe importance of wording in ceasefire agreementsPower imbalances and what Dr. Sosnowski calls “strangle contracts”How the PA-X Peace Agreements Database supports both academic research and real-world peace negotiationsThe ethical and practical challenges of deciding which documents “count” as peace agreementsYou’ll hear fascinating personal stories, including how field experiences and unexpected career moves led both guests into peace and conflict research, and why access to original texts and data is vital for shaping better peacebuilding strategies.🔗 Mentioned in the episode:PA-X Peace Agreements Database: https://www.peaceagreements.org/Redefining Ceasefires by Dr. Marika SosnowskiPeaceRep: The Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform🎧 Stay tuned for Part 2, where we continue the conversation on current ceasefire trends, peace process dynamics, and what’s next in peace research.💬 We want to hear from you!Send your feedback, topic suggestions, or guest ideas to: podcast@just-access.de💡 Support our work:Just Access is a nonprofit organisation committed to access to justice and human rights. If you value our work, please consider donating: just-access.de/donate🔔 Subscribe & ShareIf you enjoy the podcast, follow us, rate us, and share with a friend. Every review helps spread the word and keep the conversation going. Because everyone can be a human rights defender.

In this second half of our conversation, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Professor Dr. Chidi Oguamanam about the critical intersections of intellectual property, indigenous knowledge systems, and access to justice. Building on Part 1, this episode dives deep into the concept of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), its origins in the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the real-world implications of the Nagoya Protocol—or the lack thereof, particularly in Canada.Professor Oguamanam shares compelling examples from South Africa and Canada, such as the Rooibos tea economy and partnerships with the Cree Nation, to illustrate how equitable research practices and recognition of indigenous rights can foster justice. We also discuss the evolving challenges of digital sequence information and synthetic biology, highlighting gaps in current legal frameworks and the urgent need for policy innovation.💡 Whether you’re a law student, policy advocate, or simply curious about global justice, this episode offers powerful insights into how indigenous knowledge governance is shaping the future of legal and environmental discourse.🔍 Topics Covered:What is Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)?The Nagoya Protocol and Canada’s positionIndigenous stewardship of biodiversityCase studies: Rooibos tea (South Africa), Cree Nation (Canada)Bioethics, biopiracy, and digital sequence informationImplementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)Interdisciplinary approaches to justice and climate resilience🎧 Listen if you’re interested in:🌱 Biodiversity conservation📜 Indigenous rights🔬 Ethical research practices🌍 International law & policy🧬 Climate and health justice📬 Contact Us:Have questions, thoughts, or guest suggestions? Email us at podcast@just-access.de💖 Support Our Work:Just Access is a charity. If you believe in human rights and access to justice for all, please consider donating: just-access.de/donate📢 Spread the Word:If you enjoy the Just Access podcast, leave us a review, share with friends, and follow us on social media. Every bit helps us grow!🌐 Visit: just-access.de

In this powerful first part of our conversation, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Professor Dr. Chidi Oguamanam—legal scholar, researcher, and global voice on sustainable bio-innovation, indigenous knowledge systems, and knowledge governance. Professor Oguamanam explores how intellectual property law is fundamentally an access to justice issue, drawing on his lived experience in rural Africa, his legal career, and academic work across law, science, and ethics.Together, they unpack the conceptual divide between Western and indigenous models of knowledge production, the role of intellectual property in reinforcing inequality, and why recognizing traditional knowledge is essential for a fairer global system. The episode also highlights the significance of the 2024 WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge—a landmark step toward greater inclusion and accountability.🧠 Key Topics Covered:The interconnection between rural agriculture, biodiversity, and lawKnowledge governance as a human rights issueThe limitations of traditional IP frameworks in recognizing indigenous knowledgeThe symbolic and practical impact of the 2024 WIPO treatyConceptual divides between commercial and communal approaches to knowledgeJustice and inclusion in global innovation systems🔗 Resources:Learn more about Just AccessRead about the WIPO Treaty on Genetic Resources and Traditional KnowledgeContact us at: podcast@just-access.de💡 Support Our Work:If you believe in accessible justice and the power of human rights education, consider supporting Just Access.👉 Donate here🎧 Stay tuned for Part 2, where we dive deeper into community benefit sharing, indigenous legal traditions, and global governance reform.

In this episode of the Just Access podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with Luca Brocca, a master’s student in European Studies at KU Leuven and a long-time member of Just Access. Luca discusses his journey from academic theory to impactful practice in the human rights field through his work with Just Access.Luca has worn many hats in the organization over the past two years: from legal intern to blog author, to Just Access representative to the UNCAC Coalition (UN Convention against Corruption), and formerly to the OSCE Network. He shares insights into what these roles actually involve—from participating in working group meetings and multistakeholder projects, to contributing legal analysis on anti-corruption and global food security.Together, they explore Luca’s recent blog post analyzing the European Court of Human Rights’ major ruling on Italy’s environmental failures in the Terra dei Fuochi case. The judgment not only addresses state obligations under Article 2 (right to life), but also signals a broader shift in climate and environmental litigation in Europe.🌍 Topics Covered:Luca’s evolving roles at Just Access, from intern to international representativeThe value of bridging human rights theory with legal action and communicationWhat it means to represent an NGO at UNCAC and OSCE forumsAn in-depth look at the Terra dei Fuochi case and its significanceHow strategic litigation is influencing European human rights jurisprudenceRelated climate and environmental cases to follow at the ECtHR👤 Guest Bio:Luca Brocca is a master’s student at KU Leuven, specializing in EU external relations, space law, and security. At Just Access, he serves as the representative to the UNCAC Coalition, contributes legal blogs, and works closely with the strategic litigation team. His earlier role with the OSCE Network focused on global food security and inspired his undergraduate thesis.🔗 Links & Resources:Luca’s blog post on the Terra dei Fuochi caseUNCAC CoalitionOSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic InstitutionsFollow Just Access on Twitter💬 Join the Conversation:If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review, share it on social media, and send your thoughts to podcast@just-access.de.❤️ Support Just Access:We’re a nonprofit working to promote human rights and legal accountability. Help us continue our work by donating at just-access.de/donate.

In Part 2 of our compelling conversation, Professors Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves continue to unpack the complex realities of surveillance, privacy, and children’s rights in the digital age. Building on their extensive research and advocacy through The eQuality Project, they explore how tech design, gender, and systemic bias intersect in online environments—and what it means for youth today.Together, we examine:The myth of the “neutral” internetHow tech platforms design for profit—not protectionThe ongoing struggle to foreground children’s dignity and agencyWhy meaningful privacy rights require cultural and structural changeWhether you’re a parent, educator, policymaker, or digital rights advocate, this episode offers eye-opening insights into how we can push for safer, more inclusive digital futures.🔗 Links & Resources:The eQuality Project: https://www.equalityproject.caPart 1 of this interview: https://shows.acast.com/6666be8ab6f3d900125875e8🎧 Listen now and join the conversation.💬 Got feedback or questions? Reach out on social media or visit our website at https://just-access.de/

In this thought-provoking episode, we speak with Professors Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves, co-leaders of The eQuality Project, a pioneering initiative focused on young people’s experiences of privacy and equality in digitally networked environments.Part 1 of our conversation dives into how surveillance is normalized in educational and social media contexts, why that matters for youth, and what needs to change in how we approach children’s digital rights. Jane and Valerie reflect on how their research with young people sheds light on the disconnect between adult perceptions of digital safety and the real concerns youth express—particularly around control, visibility, and relationships of trust.🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:How young people’s digital lives are shaped by surveillance in schools and on platformsWhy digital privacy is about more than just data—it’s about dignity and identityHow legal frameworks are lagging behind young people’s actual digital experiencesWhy youth-centered research methods are key to understanding their needs and protecting their rights👩‍🏫 About the Guests:Professor Jane Bailey is a law professor at the University of Ottawa specializing in cyberfeminism, equality, and technology law.Professor Valerie Steeves is a legal scholar and sociologist at the University of Ottawa with extensive experience in youth-focused digital privacy research. She is also the principal investigator of the MediaSmarts Young Canadians in a Wired World study.Together, they co-lead The eQuality Project, a SSHRC-funded partnership that brings together researchers and community organizations to improve digital inclusion and rights for youth.📌 Relevant Links:The eQuality ProjectYoung Canadians in a Wired World – MediaSmarts📢 Stay Tuned:This is Part 1 of our conversation. In the next episode, we’ll dive deeper into resistance strategies, legal implications, and visions for digital environments that support—not exploit—young people.