Abby Yo

Abby Yo is an undergraduate student in Berkeley College studying Global Affairs and pursuing an Intensive Certificate in Human Rights. Her academic interests focus on democratic governance and post-conflict justice in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, particularly Ukraine. During the summer, she lived in Kyiv, where she conducted research with the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) on the human rights implications of Ukraine’s EU accession process, with a focus on financial regulation and civil society. She also worked with the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, researching and documenting war crimes involving torture by medical personnel and conflict-related sexual violence.

Her time in Kyiv deeply shaped the way she thinks about human rights work and the importance of testimony. Through conversations with people affected by the war, she became especially interested in how personal stories can preserve dignity and memory in the face of violence, displacement, and attempts at erasure.

Department: Jackson School of Global Affairs