Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy

Dr. Elkayam-Levy is the recipient of several examplry awards including: the Toll Public Interest Center’s Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Leadership, the Exemplary Pro Bono Service Award and the Public Service Award of the University of Pennsylvania. She was  recognized by the Philadelphia Bar Association and received its Award for Outstanding Achievement in Human Rights, served as Penn Carey Law's Rule of Law and Human Rights Fellow; and was the recipient of the Leboy-Davies Award in Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies, from the Alice Paul Center for Research on Gender, Sexuality & Women. 

Her research, which is published in top U.S. legal journals, centers on women's international human rights, national security issues,  domestic implementation of international human rights law, religious liberties, transformative social changes, feminist theories and sustainable development. 

Before arriving at Penn, Cochav served as a legal counsel for the Human Rights Division under the Deputy Attorney General of Israel (International Affairs). In that capacity, she consulted the government on the implementation of human rights standards and participated in international negotiations and international discussions. Cochav also served as an associate with the Supreme Court Department of the Israeli Attorney General’s Office.

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After the murderous attack by Hamas and when the evidence about gender-based war crimes unfolded, Dr. Elkayam Levy established the Civil Commission on Oct. 7th Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children  
About the Commission: The Civil Commission on Oct. 7th Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children is an independent, non-governmental collaboration of international human rights experts and women's rights organizations created to advocate for and support the investigation of war crimes committed by Hamas against women and children during the massacre of the 7th of October 2023, and the continuous war crimes towards abducted women and children. The Civil Commission takes it upon itself to obtain and distribute credible information and lend its expertise to relevant bodies in Israel and internationally.  We, as a group of legal professional and academic researchers, experts in international law, humanitarian and human rights law, victimology, and gender-based violence, together with representatives of Israeli women and human rights organizations, come together with the purpose of gathering and distributing authentic information, providing expert advice, advocating for and initiating actions related to the collection of evidence and testimonies on sexual and other crimes committed during the Hamas attack on the 7th of October against women and children. We collaborate with local and international bodies, in full compliance with international law and norms established by the international community, including relevant UNSC resolutions on Women, Peace, and Security