Anne-Claire Blok: Championing Gender Equality on a Global Stage
Anne-Claire Blok (LL.M.’12) has dedicated over a decade to advancing gender equality and human rights on the global stage. With experience spanning non-governmental organizations, academia, and the United Nations, Anne-Claire’s career is driven by a singular focus: collaborating to create systemic solutions aimed at eliminating gender inequality and elevating the voices of women and girls worldwide. Whether leveraging the human rights system to amplify the voices of survivors of sexual violence, creating groundbreaking tools to empower advocates, or fostering multilateral cooperation and conducting gender diplomacy at the UN, she has consistently worked at the intersection of politics, law, and human rights to promote meaningful change.
Following a Passion for Human Rights Advocacy
Anne-Claire’s legal career began in corporate law after completing her legal studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. However, her early experiences in a law firm revealed a deeper calling. “Working in corporate law confirmed for me that I wanted to do more than serve corporate interests,” she recalls. “I wanted a career that genuinely helps people, fights injustice, and drives systemic change.” This realization brought her to Georgetown Law, where she pursued an LL.M. in International Law and Human Rights.
At Georgetown, Anne-Claire found her purpose and a path forward. “Georgetown was a turning point,” Anne-Claire explains. “It allowed me to pivot into something much more meaningful and opened doors into the human rights field.” The diverse academic community and practical opportunities at Georgetown enriched her understanding of international relations and politics, solidifying her commitment to human rights advocacy. “The professors, courses, and fellow students from around the world created an incredible learning environment. It’s a strong network of diverse, inspiring people who bring unique perspectives to global challenges.”
The Power of Collaboration in Advancing Equality
Anne-Claire’s career reflects a deep understanding of the importance of collaboration and diplomacy. She currently works as an Intergovernmental Specialist with UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women globally. In this role, Anne-Claire provides intergovernmental support and strategic advice to ensure that UN-Women’s Executive Board can effectively and efficiently exercise its governance and oversight mandate. She helps foster the strong relationship between UN-Women’s senior management and its governing body to strengthen UN Women’s operational performance and advance gender equality.
Prior to joining UN Women in New York, Anne-Claire worked at UN Women’s office in Geneva where she led the Entity’s engagement with UN human rights treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council, and Special Procedure Mandate Holders. While working closely with Member States, fellow UN Agencies, civil society, and academia, she advocated for stronger gender perspectives in Human Rights Council resolutions, debates and reports and provided input to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s country reviews.
Working in intergovernmental affairs demands both diplomatic finesse and strategic adaptability. “So much of international human rights work is about building strong relationships with stakeholders,” she says. “Multi-stakeholder collaborations are essential to advancing advocacy objectives and creating systemic change.” Anne-Claire also emphasizes the importance of navigating political sensitivities. “I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of politics and human rights, and this is where it really plays out,” she explains about her work in New York and Geneva. Her ability to navigate complex political landscapes has been critical in ensuring that gender equality remains a priority across diverse international contexts.
Tailoring Global Strategies to Local Realities
Throughout her career, Anne-Claire has focused on dismantling systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality. “Gender inequality exists in every society,” she says. “But it manifests differently depending on economic, political, and cultural contexts.” Tailoring solutions to these unique challenges is central to her work. “What a woman needs in Vanuatu and what a woman needs in Ukraine can be vastly different,” she observes. “Tailoring solutions to specific contexts is essential to creating meaningful change.”
Field visits with UN Women have been instrumental in Anne-Claire’s understanding of systemic barriers and opportunities for change. During recent trips to Moldova and Ukraine, she met with government officials, UN agency representatives, and direct beneficiaries of UN Women’s programs. “It’s rewarding to connect with colleagues on the ground and see the tangible impact of our work,” she says. “You gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and priorities women face in their unique contexts.” Field visits also provide moments of clarity and reward. “Sometimes, working in New York or Geneva can feel detached from the realities on the ground,” she admits. “Seeing the impact of UN Women’s work firsthand is grounding and inspiring.”
Innovating Tools for Global Advocacy
Another driving force in Anne-Claire’s career has been a commitment to optimizing human rights frameworks to ensure they are both impactful and accessible to advocates and policymakers. Her former work with Plan International, a development and humanitarian organization dedicated to children’s rights and equality for girls, is a prime example. There, Anne-Claire co-authored a groundbreaking study that examined the status of girls in international law, shedding light on gaps and trends related to girls’ rights in the international human rights framework. This effort culminated in the creation of GirlsRightsPlatform.org, a comprehensive human rights database designed to help NGOs, diplomats, UN agencies, and advocates at all levels by providing a central location to explore over 8,000 international policy documents related to the rights of girls.
Amplifying Women’s Voices for Global Change
A key focus of Anne-Claire’s work has been elevating women’s voices to influence the policies and decisions that affect their lives. One example of her commitment to this mission is her work as a Women and Justice Fellow at Cornell Law School, where she advocated for survivors of sexual violence in the U.S. military. Working closely with students, colleagues, and survivors, she submitted a petition in 2015 to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and conducted global advocacy to highlight and address military sexual assault survivors’ systemic barriers to justice. “Seeing survivors speak directly to policymakers about their experiences was incredibly rewarding,” she shares, highlighting the power of connecting individual voices to broader advocacy efforts. This experience reinforced her belief in the importance of linking grassroots realities to global human rights frameworks—an approach that continues to guide her work at UN Women.
Advice for Aspiring Advocates
Anne-Claire encourages students to embrace curiosity and flexibility, values that have shaped her own career. “Explore the human rights field as much as you can, be open to all kinds of opportunities and new experiences—including abroad,” she advises. “Human rights careers are rarely linear, and every experience adds value.” She also highlights the importance of persistence, acknowledging the reality that progress in human rights advocacy can be slow. Reflecting on her experience with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, where a petition she supported took years to gain traction, Anne-Claire shares: “You might not see the results of your advocacy for years. You might also encounter many defeats, but don’t let them defeat you. Remind yourself of your purpose and be sure to celebrate small wins, even when larger victories seem far off. Change may take years, but every step forward matters.”
Balance and Inspiration Beyond Advocacy
Outside of her professional life, Anne-Claire prioritizes activities that help her stay balanced and energized, enabling her to approach her advocacy work with renewed focus and determination. Whether swimming, hiking, playing tennis, or taking spin classes, she finds that physical activity offers a much-needed outlet to decompress and reflect. Anne-Claire also finds inspiration in cultural and artistic pursuits, from attending ballet performances and theater productions to exploring different cultures through travel. These outlets of movement and mindfulness help Anne-Claire maintain the balance and perseverance required to continue to drive meaningful change.
Written by Cameron Mulrooney, edited by Michelle Liu.