INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE
IshrI
About
The International Solidarity and Human Rights Institute (ISHRI) is dedicated to fostering solidarity among peoples and nations by advancing an authentic understanding of human rights grounded in Natural Law. Its work is informed by foundational human rights texts, including the Declaration of Independence, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Charter of the Rights of the Family. Guided by respect for the inherent dignity and equal worth of every human person—from conception until natural death—the Institute draws upon the moral and social teaching of the Catholic Church to promote justice, peace, and the common good through education, research, and public engagement. Based in Naples, Florida, ISHRI is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and an accredited non-governmental organization before the United Nations and the Organization of American States.
"Wanting to inaugurate a kingdom of justice, fraternity and solidarity, God has a special place in his heart for those who are discriminated against and oppressed, and he asks us, his Church, to make a decisive and radical choice in favor of the weakest."
For Truth and Justice
The members of the Institute welcome dialogue, collaboration, and partnership in the shared work of advancing solidarity and authentic human rights. They invite students, scholars, practitioners, institutions, and communities to join in forging new paths of truth, justice and peace through creative initiatives. Please reach out to the representatives of the Institute below for more information.
D. Brian Scarnecchia is a Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law, where he teaches and writes on international law, jurisprudence, and bioethics issues. He has served as President of ISHRI since 2005 and has long been engaged in academic, legal, and international human rights advocacy. An attorney admitted to practice in Ohio and federal court, he is the author of Bioethics, Law, and Human Life Issues: A Catholic Perspective on Marriage, Family, Contraception, Abortion, Reproductive Technology, and Death and Dying (Scarecrow Press, 2010).
Stephen M. Krason is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he served as Associate Director of the Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life. Trained in law, political science, and theology, he has authored numerous academic articles, books and publications, including The Transformation of the American Democratic Republic (Routledge, 2017). Dr. Krason is co-founder and President of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, and is admitted to practice before multiple state and federal courts.
Ligia Castaldi is a Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law, where she teaches on international law, family law, and right-to-life issues. Her scholarship focuses on prenatal rights in international human rights law, with particular attention to the Inter-American human rights system. Prior to joining the faculty, she worked with international human rights bodies including UNICEF and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. She is the author of Abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean: The Legal Impact of the American Convention on Human Rights (University of Notre Dame Press, 2020).
Olivia Serrano Núñez is Founder and President of the Be Human Association, based in Pamplona, Spain. Through her advocacy before the UN and OAS, she has served in various capacities, including as part of Mexico’s official delegation to UN commissions. Her work focuses on the role of civil society in international decision-making and on the interpretation of international human rights norms, with particular attention to how these frameworks impact family, motherhood and integral human development. She is the author of Universality in the Interpretation of International Human Rights Treaties: The Right to Health as a Case Study (Ethics International Press, 2025).