Academic detachment gave way to silence and visible emotion...

Students Jessica Walters, and Sasha Lund describe why they volunteer with Hague Explained.

In recent years, Hague Explained (HEx) has attracted a growing community of student volunteers. The Hague Convention has a profound global impact on mothers, children, and international families navigating complex cross-border legal systems. Yet neither of us – student volunteers – has experienced the Convention personally.

This raises an obvious question: what draws students like us to volunteer?

We were each introduced to HEx through our university studies, albeit in different settings. One of us encountered the organisation during a second-year public policy lecture at University College London titled International Child Abduction. Until then, discussion of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction centred on legal definitions and political debate. Its importance was intellectually clear, but viewing the Convention purely through an academic lens created distance from its human consequences.

The other discovered HEx through a workshop delivered by Anita Gera, co-founder of HEx, to student advisers at the University of Southampton’s Global Legal Clinic. Having recently completed Family Law and begun International Law, the Convention stood out as a point of intersection between domestic family protections and international legal mechanisms. The workshop offered practical insight into how the Convention operates beyond textbooks, grounding doctrine in lived reality.

For both of us, the defining moment came through hearing Anita’s lived experience. In the lecture theatre, a recording of her account transformed the atmosphere. What had been an analytical discussion became deeply personal. Academic detachment gave way to silence and visible emotion. Questions shifted from procedure and case law to how such outcomes occur and what support exists for parents, particularly mothers, navigating these systems.

That moment reshaped our understanding of law. We began to see that without lived experience, legal frameworks remain abstract and incomplete. Policy may be drafted in neutral language, but its application is deeply human. Behind every judgment are families in crisis and parents striving to protect their children within systems that can feel overwhelming.

Motivated by this realisation, we became involved with HEx. Volunteering has allowed us to contribute in practical ways, from drafting website FAQs and creating social media content to supporting fundraising initiatives. Translating complex legal principles into accessible language has strengthened our ability to communicate sensitive issues clearly and responsibly.

What began as academic engagement has evolved into something more personal and purposeful. Volunteering with HEx has reinforced that the study of law cannot end at analysis. It must also engage with lived reality. In bridging that gap, HEx has not only supported families but reshaped how we understand our roles as future legal professionals.

By:

Jessica Walters, University of Southampton

Sasha Lund, University College London

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is provided for general guidance only. This content is published on behalf of Hague Explained CIC and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with any university. Any views, opinions, or beliefs expressed are solely those of the author/s.

This post was originally published on 22 March 2026 by Inciteful Sisters, to accompany their podcast with Anita Gera, Co-founder of Hague Explained.