Gay McDougall facts for kids

Gay Johnson McDougall is an American lawyer. She has spent her life working for human rights. She also fights against unfair treatment based on race. She is a respected expert at Fordham University Law School. She used to lead an organization called Global Rights. She was also the first United Nations expert on minority issues.

Growing Up in Atlanta

Gay Johnson McDougall was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Her birthday is August 13, 1947. Her father was a hospital cook. Her mother taught math in high school. Gay grew up in the Dixie Hills area of Atlanta. She went to public schools there. In 1965, she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School.

Facing Challenges Early On

As a child, Gay McDougall faced unfair rules. She was not allowed in many public places in Atlanta. This was because of racial segregation. After high school, she made history. She was the first Black student to attend Agnes Scott College. This college is in Decatur, Georgia. She later said that people hoped the world outside the U.S. had different rules.

Education and Law Career

After two years, Gay transferred colleges. She went to Bennington College in Vermont. She earned her bachelor's degree there. Then, she studied law at Yale Law School. She also earned a special law degree. This was in international law from the London School of Economics.

After finishing law school, she joined a law firm. It was called Debevoise, Plimpton, Lyons & Gates. This firm was in New York City.

Working for Human Rights Worldwide

Gay Johnson McDougall has dedicated her career to helping people. She has worked with many important groups. Her goal is to make sure everyone is treated fairly.

Fighting Racial Discrimination

In 1998, she was chosen for a special role. She became an expert for the United Nations. This group oversees a treaty. It is called the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). She was the first American to join this group. It has 18 experts from around the world. They check if governments follow the treaty. She served from 1998 to 2001. She was re-elected in 2015. She served again from 2016 to 2020. She was also a vice-chairperson for the committee.

In 1999, she was also elected to another UN group. This was the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination. It also worked to protect minorities.

Helping People in Conflict Zones

Gay McDougall also worked as a Special Rapporteur. In this role, she studied serious issues. She looked at how people were harmed during wars. She presented a study to the United Nations. It asked for international laws. These laws would help bring justice for victims in armed conflicts. She also visited Sierra Leone. She went with the UN Human Rights Commissioner. They saw how the civil war affected people.

Supporting South Africa's Freedom

Before joining Global Rights, she helped South Africa. She was one of five international members. They were part of South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission. This group organized the country's first fair elections. These elections allowed all races to vote.

During the time of apartheid in southern Africa, she was very active. Apartheid was a system of racial separation. From 1980 to 1994, she led a project. It was for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She helped thousands of political prisoners. These were people jailed for fighting apartheid. She helped pay for their legal defense. She worked with their lawyers in South Africa and Namibia.

In 1989, she started a group. It was called the Commission on Independence for Namibia. This group watched Namibia's path to independence. They made sure the process was fair. They helped change laws. These changes made sure elections were fair.

Awards and Special Recognition

Gay McDougall has received many honors. In 1999, she received a special award. It was a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. This award recognized her "innovative and highly effective" work. It was for her efforts in international human rights.

She has also received honorary law degrees. These are from several universities. They include Georgetown University Law Center, the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, and Agnes Scott College.

In 1990, she received a Candace Award. This award is from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

Other Important Roles

Gay Johnson McDougall has held many other important positions.

• Member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
• Board Member for Africare.
• Board Member for CARE.
• Board Member for the Global Fund for Women.
• Member of the Executive Council for the American Society of International Law.
• Distinguished Scholar in Residence at American University's College of Law.
• Board member of the Open Society Justice Initiative.