For those of us who have spent years advocating for justice for the Tamil people, her leadership and solidarity have meant a great deal.

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For those of us who have spent years advocating for justice for the Tamil people, her leadership and solidarity have meant a great deal.

Harini Sivalingam

It was the honour of a lifetime to host her in 2016 at the York Centre for Asian Research and Osgoode Hall Law School, where she delivered the N. Sivalingam Memorial Lecture in memory of our late father.

I first met Navi in March 2008, when she was UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. I had written to her seeking a meeting about the escalating mass atrocities against Tamils in North and East, which would culminate in the Mullivaikkal Tamil genocide.

To my surprise, she agreed to meet with a delegation of Tamil lawyers and advocates in Geneva. Navi listened with compassion and empathy, offering invaluable guidance on bringing international attention to the unfolding war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Her support helped create the conditions for a special session on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in May 2009.

For those of us who have spent years advocating for justice for the Tamil people, her leadership and solidarity have meant a great deal.

What has stayed with me is her willingness to listen to communities whose suffering is too often ignored—and to act. She has done this for so many communities around the world, standing with those seeking justice, accountability and respect for human dignity.

In recognition of her visit to Canada and Osgoode Hall Law School, the Tamil community established a bursary in her honour to support a law student working on international human rights.

I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity to have honoured her through a lecture established in our father’s memory. Her courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to human rights continue to inspire me.

(Harini Sivalingam is Director of the Equality Program at the CCLA)