Maria McFarland is Senior Researcher at Human Rights Watch, where she covers Latin America with a special emphasis on the widespread abuses resulting from Colombia’s ongoing conflict. Ms. McFarland has traveled extensively throughout Colombia, and has researched, written, and edited several major publications on Colombia, Peru, and Mexico for Human Rights Watch. She is a frequent voice in the media on Colombia-related issues. A Peruvian-American and graduate of New York University School of Law, Ms. McFarland previously worked in a private international law firm, academia, and as a clerk on the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.