GUILHERME ROMANO - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Research Assistant
- Research Assistant / New Zealand
Allyssa Verner-Pula is a young Samoan woman from Manurewa, South Auckland. An emerging academic, writer and creative, she is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Auckland, double majoring in Drama and Pacific Studies. She is passionate about engaging with and empowering Pacific communities, with a particular focus on Pacific Rainbow+ communities.
Amanda is a political scientist who is passionate about using research to help civil society actors work to improve human rights in repressive countries. She teaches classes on terrorism, war and human security, and international interventions at the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She has published dozens of articles on her research and is the incoming editor-in-chief of International Studies Review. She is contributing to the design and development of HRMI's Civil and Political Rights metrics. Amanda received her PhD from Emory University in 2009.
Job Titles:
- Brazilian - Armenian Independent Researcher and Consultant
Ana Teresa is a Brazilian-Armenian independent researcher and consultant on policy and human rights. She has experience in working with the right to housing, access to justice, community empowerment, and child rights. She holds a bachelor in law from Londrina State University and a Masters in Transitional Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Job Titles:
- Founder and CEO of the Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition
Anne Pakoa is the founder and CEO of the Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition, training human rights defenders to advocate for the rights of indigenous Ni - Vanuatu to ensure equitable access to social and economic goods for all. Anne is a registered nurse and nurse educator by profession, and she has worked in the NGO sector for 22 years, setting up a few NGOs such as Anne's Christian Community Health School and Nursing Services, and the Vanuatu Young Women for Change. She is also chair and vice-chair on a number of other boards. Anne has been recognised by the US Secretary of State and the Commonwealth Fellow for her extraordinary commitment to fight for social justice and was awarded the 2015 US Ambassador Women of Courage Award.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Co - Founder / Vision and Strategy Lead / New Zealand
Anne-Marie is a former economist with a passion for helping to bring about systemic change. She has been instrumental in identifying the need for more and better human rights data, building the HRMI team, and helping others see how their skills can contribute collaboratively to making our world a better place. Prior to making the jump into human rights, Anne-Marie worked as a senior economist for the OECD and the New Zealand public sector. She is an Edmund Hillary Fellow and has degrees in Psychology and Economics from the University of Otago and an MPA in Economics from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), which she attended on a Fulbright Scholarship. Listen to Anne-Marie talk more about her journey to co-founding HRMI in this This is Candor podcast interview. Watch her TEDx talk: Let's Measure What We Treasure: human rights.
Job Titles:
- Junior Student at the University of South Carolina Aiken
Ariel Capers is a junior student at the University of South Carolina Aiken studying political science and criminology. At USC Aiken, Ariel is currently one of the head captains of their Mock Trial team. After she graduates, Ariel plans on going to Law school to accomplish her dream of becoming a criminal attorney.
Brian is the Senior Quantitative Analyst at Human Rights Watch. He is responsible for data analysis in Human Rights Watch reports as well as providing guidance on quantitative data collection and training on statistics and research methodology. Brian's extensive experience with quantitative human rights data has been invaluable to the development of our civil and political rights pilot methodology. He has participated in HRMI's co-design workshops and is helping to connect us to potential survey respondents. Brian received his PhD in International Development from Tulane University Law School.
Bright is a dedicated HRD and humanitarian worker with an unquenchable thirst of supporting and advancing the welfare and human rights of citizens across all levels of the society.
Brittney is a Political Science student in the United States. She is passionate about women's equality and the LGBTQ+ communities.
Broderick Mervyn (from the village(s) of Oinafa, Rotuma and Juju, Rotuma) was born and raised in Nadi, Fiji where his passion is to work with and for the Pacific people around the world. He has been an avid advocate on issues such as youth engagement, accessibility to justice, human rights and climate change at national, regional and international forums. Broderick has received numerous awards including the Member of the Order of Fiji (MOF), 2020 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work for the Pacific Region and the Fiji Youth Co:Lab Innovative Award.
Bruno is a Brazilian Law and International Relations, interested in Digital Human Rights and International Human Rights Law. He is also the alumni of the Law School of the University of Coimbra, Portugal and UPAEP, Mexico.
Cam is a Criminology and International Relations student at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. He is passionate about human rights and is particularly interested in how human rights are affected during times of conflict and war. Cam is planning to pursue a Masters in International Security in 2022.
Danny is a political scientist who strongly believes in the use of social scientific methods for advancing our knowledge of human rights conditions, as well as the efficacy of efforts to improve those conditions on the ground. His research agenda focuses on human rights law and practices, violent political conflict, repression, and dissent. Danny teaches classes on conflict, international organizations, international relations, and quantitative research methods in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia. Danny received his PhD from Florida State University in 2012.
Diane is an advocate for women's rights and adolescent sexual reproductive health in Papua New Guinea. She sits on the National Capital District Provincial Health Authority Clinical Governance Committee. She's the former host of the TV program PNG EXTRA that focused on stories that empower women and youth in PNG. Diane is a Chevening Scholar and has a Masters degree in Global Health specialising in sexual reproductive health from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. She is the current Senior Program Manager-Electrification Partnerships at Oil Search Foundation.
Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi is a Dalit rights activist and social entrepreneur from India. He grew up in the state of Uttar Pradesh where he saw unequal relationships between men and women, with the men being stronger, violent, and controlling of the women. He chose a different path for himself and went on to become one of the founding members of People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), a Varanasi-based NGO which works for the upliftment of the marginalised sections of the society. His work has been recognized with awards like Gwangju Human Rights Award (2007), the ACHA Star Peace Award (2008), the International Human Rights Prize of the city of Weimar (2010), and the Karmaveer Maharatna Award (2019).
Dr. Vickie Casanova-Willis, MBA, MAT, PhD is Executive Director of the US Human Rights Network (USHRN), a national network of over 300 organizations and hundreds of individuals working since 2003 to build a people-centered human rights culture in the United States. She is a past President of the National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL), founding member of the US Human Rights Cities Alliance, and a co-founder of the new US Human Rights Network Foundation. Dr. Vickie has spent decades engaging with underserved youth and families across ethnicities and nationalities through interdisciplinary education and cultural work to dismantle structural racism. She co-organized the 2016 Midwest US visits of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; co-authored several stakeholders' reports and articles; and has provided + facilitated testimony to the Organization of American States-InterAmerican Commission (OAS-IACHR), Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Committee Against Torture (CAT), International Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), and the Human Rights Council (HRC) regarding human rights violations and solutions devised by directly impacted peoples.
Job Titles:
- Editor
- Research Analyst
- Editor and Research Analyst / Brazil
Eduardo is a lawyer and human rights activist from Brazil. He recently completed his Master's degree in Human Rights in Democratization, focusing his research in the Transitional Justice experience in Brazil.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Economics at Ithaca College
- Research Fellow / United States
Liz is an Associate Professor of Economics at Ithaca College. Her expertise is at the intersection of applied labor and development economics. This has led both her teaching and research to cover a wide range of topics including economic and social rights, children's rights, inequality, and gender economics. Prior to joining the faulty at Ithaca College, she received her PhD for the University of Connecticut in 2014.
Eric Mills is working toward a Master in Science in International Affairs, with a concentration in economics. He is passionate about human development and human rights in general.
Evan is a Senior Political Science student at the University of South Carolina Aiken. He is involved with many leadership roles across campus, and serves as a student coordinator of leadership programs at his university. After he graduates in May, Evan hopes to attend Graduate School for Public Administration with a focus on Non-Profit Management.
Job Titles:
- Finance and Operations Lead / New Zealand
Francesca is passionate about equity issues and has dedicated her career to this, having worked in anti-doping, health, and now human rights in both the UK and Aotearoa New Zealand. Francesca has a BCom in accounting and marketing from the University of Otago and a background in HR and finance, which has equipped her well for a career in business operations.
Gant is an undergraduate student at the University of Oklahoma, studying International Studies, Spanish, and History. He is deeply passionate about the global pursuit of social justice and equitable development, and hopes to pursue a career in international human rights advocacy in Latin America.
Hala Aldosari is a Saudi scholar in gender and health, focusing on women's social determinants of health and violence against women in Saudi Arabia. She is currently the Wilhelm Fellow at the MIT Center for International Studies and serves on the advisory boards of Human Rights Watch Middle East/North Africa division and the Gulf Center for Human Rights. She previously served as Scholar-in-Residence at NYU's Center for Human Rights and Global Justice and as a Visiting Scholar at both Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute and the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, DC. Aldosari earned a PhD from Old Dominion University and an MS from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Aldosari is also an op-ed writer and her writings were featured in several leading journals. She was the inaugural Khashoggi fellow at the Washington Post.
Job Titles:
- Head of Human Rights Monitoring at the Equality
Hayley is currently Head of Human Rights Monitoring at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Great Britain's national human rights institution. Her work involves assessing the UK's compliance with international human rights law, advising government on ways in which human rights could be better protected in law and policy, and building the capacity of civil society and other actors to engage with the international framework.
Henry is a dynamic and result-oriented Nigeria Pharmacist. Currently, he is a master degree student, studying Administration in International Organizations at the University of Wroclaw, Poland. Stemming from his current master degree studies, Henry has developed a specialized interest in the field of International Protection of Human Rights with the aim of being a campaigner of human rights. Joining HRMI as an intern recently, Henry seeks to understand how data could be analyzed to measure how individual country of the world perform in improving human rights. Henry is data driven, a self-starter, and a team player. He is experienced in project management, and displayed excellent leadership and communication skills. Henry seeks an exciting opportunity to play a productive role in a leading value driven organization along with a motivated team to achieve corporate objectives.
Hwanhee Lee is an attorney at law at Dongcheon Foundation, a public interest law foundation. Right after college, she joined Ernest & Young, a global business consulting firm and worked as a senior consultant for 5 years before attending law school where she studied law to become a full-time Pro Bono lawyer. With focus on legal advocacy and policy reform for refugees and migrants, her current interests include universal birth registration, non-discrimination against foreigners and women, the workers' rights, as well as domestic interpretation and implementation of international human rights treaties. Hwanhee received B.A. in Political Science & Diplomacy in 2010, Juris Doctor in 2020, and was admitted into the Korea Bar Association in 2021.
Job Titles:
- Investigative Journalist / Malaysia
Ian Yee is an award-winning investigative and impact journalist whose work focuses on social justice issues. He is a founder of The Fourth, a not-for-profit social enterprise that uses investigative journalism, multimedia content and creative digital advocacy to support social justice movements, and provides training and support to civil society organisations. He is also currently executive director of the Environmental Reporting Collective (ERC), an award-winning global collective of investigative journalists that produces innovative collaborative projects on environmental crimes; and a national consultant for Unicef in Malaysia. On a personal level, he has also been selected as an Obama Foundation Leader, an Acumen Academy Fellow, a GenT honouree, and a UK International Leadership Programme participant.
Jasmine Herlt is a recognised human rights leader committed to improving the lives of people in Canada and globally. Before retiring earlier this year, Jasmine was the Managing Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) , where she launched and built the Canadian operations. In that role, she managed the organization's outreach, fundraising and advocacy initiatives for Canada and had responsibility for guiding global development teams in other countries for almost 20 years. Prior to joining HRW, Jasmine was the Executive Director of the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research. She began her career as a lawyer focused on employment law as in-house counsel for Crown Life Insurance and practiced corporate law at McMillan, Binch. She has also served on both corporate and non-profit boards, including St. Michael's Hospital, Stop 103 and CI Funds Management. Most recently, Jasmine is an active volunteer and member of the Executive team of the Province of Ontario Liberal Association for the riding of University-Rosedale.
Jen is a human rights lawyer and co-Founding Director of JustRight Scotland, a human rights legal charity. She is responsible for its development and oversees its policy, research and strategic communications and campaigning work. She is qualified to practice in Scotland, England, Wales, and the New York State in the United States. She is a legal expert on asylum, human rights, children's rights, and on the rights of survivors of torture. Jen is also a lecturer in law with the Open University in Scotland, and an enthusiastic advocate of widening access to education for all.
Jennifer is a journalist in the Solomon Islands. She reports on crime and court proceedings and decisions. Jennifer is passionate about advocating for positive changes in her community, including making her community aware of their legal and human rights.
Jordan is a Political Science and Economics student at the University of Florida. He is interested in human rights, particularly those of marginalized groups in Latin America. In the future, he aspires to do research in democratization and economic development and their relation to human rights in the region and globally.
Julia Legner is a political scientist and human rights professional. She is the co-founder of Geneva based legal advocacy NGO MENA Rights Group and Head of Advocacy at London based Saudi focused NGO ALQST for Human Rights. She has over seven years of work experience providing legal assistance and advocating on behalf of victims of human and labour rights violations in the MENA region. She holds a BA in Arabic and International Relations from Westminster University and an MA in Middle Eastern Politics from the School of African and Oriental Studies at the University of London.
Juliana is a Brazilian human rights lawyer passionate for migration and international criminal law. After her LL.M in Human Rights and Migration Law, Juliana worked at the International Criminal Court and United Nations Assistance for the Khmer Rouge Trials. Nowadays, she is a consultant at a Dutch company ensuring that business practices respect human rights. She is also a Cultural Mediator at Fair Work, informing migrant workers about their labour rights and supporting victims of labour exploitation.
Julie Verhaar is a global executive nonprofit advisor with over 20 years experience driving successful business and fundraising operations within International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs). She supports and facilitates the leadership of organisations and UN agencies in their organizational development and journey to sustainability, transformational change, and global expansion. Most recently she was the Acting Secretary General for the International Secretariat of Amnesty International, leading the organization and the implementation of a cultural change initiative which included the creation of a Racial Equality, Diversity & Inclusion initiative. A comprehensive mental health and wellbeing program for all staff was implemented and enhanced because of the Covid pandemic. Other roles she held with Amnesty International were Deputy Secretary General and Senior Director Global Fundraising & Engagement. Before joining Amnesty International she was in senior leadership positions with UNICEF, Greenpeace International and the Netherlands Red Cross. Julie is a member of the supervisory board of the Dr. Dennis Mukwege Foundation and the Global Survivor Fund.
Job Titles:
- Research Fellow / United States
Annie received her PhD in political science and international affairs from the University of Georgia in 2020 and currently teaches classes in human rights and political science for Middle Georgia State University. She is passionate about human rights education, collecting data that can be used to hold governments accountable for abuses, and communicating research to broad audiences so that it can be used to press for progress. Her research focuses primarily on the incorporation of international human rights law in domestic policies, particularly for women's rights and economic rights, and she has more than eight years of experience with the measurement of human rights.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Scientist
- Co - Founder / Methodology Research and Design Lead / United States
Chad is a political scientist with a deep interest in furthering our understanding of human rights practices, political violence, organised dissent, and economic development. Chad teaches classes on human rights, international relations, and political economy in the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at the University of Georgia, and has published widely in leading journals. One of the co-founders of HRMI, Chad is leading the design and development of our Civil and Political Rights metrics. He brings with him more than a decade of experience in the area of measuring human rights, including as co-director of the (now archived) CIRI Human Rights Data Project. Chad received his PhD in political science from Binghamton University in 2012.
Kameron is a senior at the University of Connecticut. He is an Economics major minoring in Public Policy and Data Analytics. He enjoys analyzing policy and reading about economic theory.
Katie Nipper is a Junior at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky double majoring in Politics and International Studies. She works for a local law firm in small town Kentucky but has dreams of working in international law. She loves meeting new people and learning from them and their experiences.
Katja Phutaraksa Neef is a recent Global Studies graduate who majored in Sustainable Development and the Global Environment with a regional focus on Asia and the Pacific. She grew up in Thailand and Japan and has participated in field research and workshops in Fiji, Vanuatu, Thailand, Cambodia, Tanzania, Peru, Indonesia, and West Papua. Her research and advocacy interests include issues concerning land governance and dispossession, social inclusion, Indigenous rights, forced migration, and climate justice.
Lisette was born in the United States and lives in Connecticut. She is entering her fourth and final year at the University of Connecticut where she is majoring in Political Science, History and Human Rights and minoring in German. After graduating, she plans on attending law school and working as a lawyer.
Job Titles:
- Research Analyst
- Economist
Livvy is a budding economist with a passion for criminal justice and people's wellbeing. After completing her Master of Business at AUT in 2019, Livvy is now working as a research analyst at Motu Economic & Public Policy Research. She is a strong advocate for using empirical evidence to prompt social change and enjoys using integrated data to produce such evidence.
Leah Guyot is an graduate candidate in International Affairs at The New School whose work focuses on conflict and humanitarianism. She is an international student from France currently based in the New York City area. Leah has recently worked on projects with IANSA, UNHCR, and the Stimson Center. Her other interests include language learning and literature.
Job Titles:
- Internships and Administration / United States
Maple is a current undergraduate student studying Psychology and Legal Studies at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, United States. She spends time working at a restaurant and volunteering at the Abolitionist Law Center in downtown Pittsburgh. She is hoping to study International Criminal Law.
Maria is a student of International Relations at National Defence University Pakistan. She has worked for SDGs with UNDP. She holds multiple certificates pertaining to human rights and women's empowerment. She is most inclined towards research and development. She is also interested in being part of sustainable poverty alleviation projects.
Job Titles:
- Pacific Research Assistant / New Zealand
My name is Mariam Rasheed, I'm in my final year of studying a Law and Economics conjoint at Victoria University of Wellington. I'm Fijian and Mauritian, and born and raised in Aotearoa. I have a passion for Pasifika success, and have spent my years at university volunteering and leading various cultural groups including the Fijian Students' Association and the Pasifika Law Students' Society. I enjoy helping and working with others, and outside of university and volunteering, I enjoy walks, good food, and good music.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Wider HRMI Team
- Internships
Matheus is a Law student at Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil, with academic exchanges in Brazilian, Chinese and Russian universities. He has been involved in human rights research and guiding youth projects from NGOs to the UN system, which have inspired him to pursue a career in global affairs.
Job Titles:
- Civil and Political Rights Metrics Lead / United States
- CPR Metrics Lead
Matthew is dedicated to using research for advancing and improving human rights conditions globally, through the creation of data and empowerment of human rights advocates. He is a political scientist who has spent years with human rights measurement projects, including multiple years as a member of HRMI's CPR team. His research agenda focuses on discrimination and oppression against marginalized people, political violence/civil conflict, and tackling difficult measurement problems in political science. Matthew is a Ph.D candidate at the University of Georgia and has taught classes on International Organization and Modern Warfare.
Megan is a human rights lawyer who has dedicated her career to advocating for freedom of movement for all, especially people most vulnerable to harm. She is currently a supervising attorney at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), based in New York. Prior to joining IRAP, Megan worked throughout Southeast Asia and North Africa, leading legal teams in advocating for refugee rights and protections.
Mohammed Shamma is a Jordanian journalist specialising in human rights. He has been working for Canadian organisation Journalists for Human Rights as a media trainer based in Amman, Jordan since 2014. Over the past 15 years, Shamma has produced and presented several leading radio shows at the main community radio in Amman, Balad Radio, and produced a series of documentaries focusing on human rights. Shamma is working beside Jordanian journalists from several media outlets to produce human rights stories with data journalism.
Morgan Barney is a second year graduate student at the University of Georgia. She completed her BA degree in International Studies from Covenant College where she began her study of human rights, particularly human trafficking trends in Eastern Europe. Morgan has travelled to the country of Moldova six times where the majority of her human rights advocacy work has occurred. In summer 2019, she completed a research internship with international human rights NGO International Justice Mission in Washington, DC.
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Nazia Erum is an advocacy and communications specialist using storytelling for change to create an enabling environment for human rights to thrive. She has worked at Amnesty International, The Global Fund and has engaged Parliamentarians, UN Special rapporteurs, Foreign ministers and Senators. She is also the author of critically acclaimed best-selling book, Mothering a Muslim, published in 2018. BBC World News called it a ‘book that has started conversations' around social cohesion and identity in India. She was included in The Telegraph's Stand-out Voices for 2018 list and The Mid-Day's Women Change-makers of 2018 in India. Her work finds mention in the BBC, The Guardian, Le Monde, Washington Post among other international media.
Job Titles:
- Internships / United States
Neha is a graduate from the University of Auckland, having recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Politics and International Relations. Having worked for one of New Zealand's largest NGO's St John, Neha is passionate about working with organisations with a core mission of service. She is interested in the fields of human rights, community development and public policy.
Neha is a sophomore at the University of Connecticut double majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology and Global Health. After graduating, she hopes to obtain an MD/MPH and work in global health. She is interested in the fields of global health, public policy, and reproductive rights.
Hailing from the beautiful State of Goa, India, Nikita Singh is a lawyer with a keen interest in the concept of intersectionality under the scanner of human rights law. She strives to build her career working towards the legal representation of the victims of human rights violations. In her spare time, she likes to read, travel and unwind by the sea.
Job Titles:
- Research Analyst
- Research / United States
Pablo is an avid research analyst who enjoys learning new languages and cultures. His special focus is understanding indigenous approaches to politics and economics for the purpose of advancing human, economic and cultural rights.
Job Titles:
- Researcher
- Researcher / New Zealand
Paddy Baylis is a rising Junior at Pomona College in Claremont, California. He is working towards a degree in Economics minoring in Mathematics finishing in 2023. He has a passion for data driven policy and utilizing data and research to drive real-world change. Currently his work with HRMI focuses around exploring data for sub-populations and investigating how policy differences drive disparities between countries and populations.
Peggy is a human rights advocate and communications specialist in the cultural sector. She is committed to engaging the public through the arts to spark debate and inspire action towards local and global concerns. Her work in the charity sector has focused on digital and event fundraising together with campaign strategy. Peggy is an active grassroots campaigner on issues including housing, climate change, and human rights.
Praveen is an activist and researcher managing human rights programmes, trainings, researches and capacity building activities. He is actively involved in monitoring and documenting human rights violations, reporting to relevant mechanisms, and advocating for laws and policies changes wherever and whenever required.
Rebekah Rodrigues is a third year student studying International Relations at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. An aspiring lawyer, her passions include international law, post-colonial theory and human rights advocacy.
Robert is an LL.M. Human Rights Law student at Queen's University Belfast and an LL.B graduate of Trinity College Dublin. Robert received a scholarship for his master studies and is currently involved with LawPod, a podcast by the School of Law at Queen's. He is interested in European human rights law, international criminal justice, and the relationship between human rights advocacy and the effectiveness of international institutions.
Roi is of I-Kiribati and European descent. She is passionate about development and human rights issues in the Pacific region. After completing a BA (Hons) in Geography and Politics at the University of Otago, Roi spent two years volunteering with local NGO's in Tarawa, Kiribati. Influenced by her time volunteering she is now completing a Master's of Development Studies at the University of Auckland, looking into grassroots organisations as drivers of change in Kiribati. She is a strong advocate for centring indigenous Pacific women voices in development.
Job Titles:
- Officer at the University
Ronna Lee is currently the Student Welfare Officer at The University of the South Pacific, Samoa Campus and a part time teacher for the Media & Journalism School at The National University of Samoa. She is a proud Samoan with Chinese heritage. Her eclectic work experience includes years of teaching, new presenting, co-hosting of national & regional events, guest-curator at the National Museum of Samoa and a passionate advocate for the rights of marginalized groups to quality education. She inspired this poem by Faamuina Felolini Maria Tafuna'i:
Ryan is a political scientist who has has dedicated himself to understanding and remedying the causes of social inequality through social scientific methods. His research and teaching interests include survey research and measurement, politics, and terrorism/international conflict. Ryan teaches in the Department of Political Science at the University of Georgia, is Director of the Center for the Study of Global Issues, and is contributing his expertise to the development of our Civil and Political Rights metrics. He received his PhD in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2007.
Job Titles:
- Adviser - Disability and SOGI
Rāwā is passionate about the communities he is a part of, having lived experience and identifying as a member of the Rainbow, Disability and Indigenous communities. He is based between in Wellington and Christchurch in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Rāwā has extensive experience in civil society and cross-Government approach to tackling complex issues and has a background in organisational change and development, strategy and leadership, Academic Board and University Council, Te Ao Māori and Capability Development. Rāwā enjoys supporting the community and grassroots organisations such as Qtopia as the Co-Chair, Christchurch Heroes as the Co-chair and Manager, Hui Takatāpui and Kahukura Pounamu as a board member, ILGA World as the Bi+ Steering Committee Chairperson and board member and ILGA Oceania as one of the two New Zealand representatives. Rāwā is the Principal Advisor, System Transformation for the Disability Directorate at the Ministry of Health - a cross-Government approach to reform the disability sector in New Zealand, also known as Enabling Good Lives.
Sam is a Cook Island lecturer and researcher based in the School of Psychology at The University of Auckland. Sam's PhD focused on scale development where he constructed psychometric tools that reflect Pacific values and concepts of identity and wellbeing. Sam's current research focuses on knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about mental health, and he is in the process of developing a study identifying the prevalence of mental illness in the Cook Islands. Sam's interests in HRMI relate to his passion for seeing Pacific realities reflected in the quantitative research and ensuring high quality data benefits Pacific communities.
Savita Ali is a feminist advocate and human right activist with 15 years of experience working at the ground level on the issues such as Dalit rights, minority rights, and women's rights and empowerment and such identity-based multiple marginalisation. Presently, she is the Managing Trustee of Eva Foundation and a core team member of 'Dalit Women Fight', where she leads and directs management of programmes, communications, and community mobilization activities. She is a practicing advocate in the Patna High Court, in the state of Bihar.
Scott is Senior Crisis Adviser for Amnesty International. His current work focuses on the practical use of information and communications technologies for human rights compliance monitoring and research. Scott brings to HRMI a wealth of knowledge about human rights crises across the globe, and is helping to connect us to potential survey respondents. Scott previously served in the U.S. as Amnesty's Advocacy Director for Africa, and Director of the Crisis Prevention and Response Unit, and is a Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University's Elliot School of International Affairs. He completed his doctoral work in Political Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Job Titles:
- Research Analyst / New Zealand
Working as a research analyst at Motu Economic & Public Policy Research in New Zealand, Shaan is working towards gaining the knowledge and experience to undertake a PhD in Health Economics. He completed his honours year in economics at the University of Auckland in 2018. Born in South Africa, he speaks English and Afrikaans. He is passionate about investigating the relationship between the health and education outcomes of children.
Shalizeh is a law student at the University of Exeter. She is originally from Pakistan, but currently lives in Zambia. Shalizeh is passionate about pursuing a career in Human Rights in the future, focusing specifically on women's rights.
Simão is a journalist, an advocate for women's rights and gender equality, and a civic activist in Angola. He is also a poet, photographer and news blogger. He has written for Clube K and Revista Pueblo and now writes regularly for Radio Angola and Global Voices. He is currently completing the 3rd year of the Communication Sciences Course at the Independent University of Angola and has participated in debates and conferences on human rights at the national and international level.
Stephanie Montesino has just graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A in Administration of Justice and Legal studies with a minor in political science. She is currently taking a gap year and plans on applying to law schools this upcoming fall. She has always been interested in human rights as her my parents/ grandparents came to the U.S. from Cuba in the 1960's so they could have basic rights.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Co - Founder and Economic and Social Rights Metrics Lead / United States
Susan's life-long interest in people's wellbeing and economic development has led her to push the frontiers of our knowledge and help develop a ground-breaking approach for measuring the fulfilment of Economic and Social Rights. Her recent book describing this approach, Fulfilling Social and Economic Rights with Sakiko Fukuda-Parr and Terra Lawson-Remer (Oxford University Press, 2015), won the 2016 best book of the year award from the American Political Science Association's Human Rights Section. Susan is Co-Director of the Economic and Social Rights Empowerment Initiative, and Co-Director of the Research Program on Economic & Social Rights at the University of Connecticut's Human Rights Institute. She has a PhD in economics from Cornell University.
Sydney is a third year undergraduate student at the University of Georgia in the United States, majoring in International Affairs with a minor in social work and certificate in nonprofit management and leadership. She is currently part of the GLOBIS Human Rights Research Lab at UGA where she was introduced to HRMI and works with Dr. K Chad Clay, a co-founder of HRMI. After graduation, she hopes to be employed with a global nonprofit that works to improve human rights.
Job Titles:
- Pacific Engagement Consultant / New Zealand
Sylvia currently lives on Waiheke Island in Aotearoa New Zealand and enjoys waka ama (outrigger canoeing) and spending time in and on the ocean. She serves as a Research Associate with the Micronesian Area Research Center at the University of Guam and is one of the co-founders of The Everyday Peace Initiative, a social enterprise supporting people and communities to build peace through data, education and research. Sylvia earned her PhD with the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago, Dunedin in 2017 and was the inaugural postdoctoral fellow with the Pacific Media Centre at Auckland University of Technology in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Strategy and Communication Lead / New Zealand
- Writer, Editor
Thalia is a writer, editor and activist who joined Amnesty at 13 years old. She has a BA in Linguistics and an LLB(Hons) from Victoria University of Wellington, where she had a special focus on international human rights law. After graduating in Applied Theology from Carey Baptist College in Auckland, she worked as a Baptist minister in New Plymouth, New Zealand, and then with Partners Relief & Development in South East Asia.
Job Titles:
- Strategy and Communications Officer / Wales
Tori is a Canadian student currently based in the UK. She has a BA in International Relations from Western University and is now studying Law at the University of Liverpool. Tori has focused her studies and research on public international law, particularly children's rights and international criminal law. After graduation in 2023, she plans to connect her background in international affairs and human rights with a career in legal practice.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director of Legal Initiatives for Vietnam
Trinh Huu Long is the Co-Director of Legal Initiatives for Vietnam (liv.ngo) that aims to promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Vietnam through independent journalism, research, and civic education. LIV's two main projects are Luat Khoa Magazine (luatkhoa.org) and The Vietnamese Magazine (thevietnamese.org). Long is based in Taipei, Taiwan as the head of LIV's Representative Office and Editor-in-Chief of Luat Khoa Magazine. He has studied law and Asia-Pacific studies, and has published intensively on legal and political matters of Vietnam concerning free speech, criminal justice, and constitutionalism.
Weston is an undergraduate, full-ride student at Centre College, in Danville, KY, USA. He is currently studying history and philosophy, and wants to go into Constitutional Law.
Job Titles:
- Founder of the Ätitäi Initiative
Yanamlyn is the founder of the Ätitäi Initiative that helps equipping rural schools with proper resources for quality, effective, and smart learning. She is also the Campaign Coordinator for Senisim Pasin, an initiative of Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation that addresses the issues of GBV and SABV (Sorcery Accusation Based Violence) in PNG though advocacy work. Yanamlyn is passionate about advocating for equal education and employment opportunities, as well as raising awareness of violence against women and children.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer of the Covenants Watch
Yibee is the Chief Executive Officer of the Covenants Watch, a coalition comprising human rights groups and organizations of persons with disabilities based in Taipei, Taiwan. She has a PhD degree from the National Yang Ming University on human rights indicator development. Yibee has extensive experience in the "Taiwan model" of reviews of state party reports on human rights covenants (ICCPR and ICESCR) and conventions (CRPD, CEDAW and CRC). Together with other civil society groups, they draft quality parallel reports to supplement the state reports on human rights. Yibee is also one of the few Taiwanese that have had the experiences with UN human rights mechanisms, by filing urgent appeals and submitting reports. Apart from advocacy activities, Yibee's research interests include the development of human rights indicators and impact assessment, as well as application of human rights treaties in domestic courts.
Job Titles:
- Research Assistant
- Research Assistant / New Zealand
Hailing from Auckland and Ipoh, Zerlina Wong is in her final year at the University of Auckland, majoring in History and Global Studies.