Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: Okpechi

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14 February 2007

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre appoints Abiola Okpechi as its first Africa Researcher & Coordinator

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (www.business-humanrights.org) is pleased to announce the appointment of Abiola Okpechi as its first Africa Researcher & Coordinator, based in South Africa.  170 candidates applied for the position and 8 were interviewed; the applicants were of a very high calibre. 

Abiola is a Nigerian lawyer and human rights advocate, currently a PhD student at the Faculty of Law, University of Cape Town.  Her previous posts include:

• Refugee Counselor, University of Cape Town Law Clinic

• Abuja representative and human rights coordinator, Centre for Development Action, Nigeria

• Legal Officer - Human Rights Unit, Justice, Development & Peace Commission, Archdiocese of Ibadan, Nigeria

• Legislative Aide, Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where she worked on the Child Rights Bill and Police Reform Bill

• Intern, International Federation of Women Lawyers, Ibadan, Nigeria branch

Before undertaking her PhD, Abiola was educated at the University of Ibadan (MSc Humanitarian and Refugee Studies); Nigeria Law School Abuja (BL); and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (LLB, honours).  Abiola is fluent in Yoruba, Hausa and English, and is continuing her studies in French.

Abiola will begin work this month, drawing attention to the human rights impacts (positive and negative) of companies in Africa; highlighting under-reported issues and cases; and building contacts with African NGOs, companies, journalists and government representatives.

The establishment of our Africa Researcher & Coordinator post was made possible by a grant from Open Society Institute (Foundation Open Society Institute - Zug). 

Abiola is our second regional researcher, joining our East Asia Researcher & Coordinator, Roddy Shaw Kwok-wah, based in Hong Kong.  We are now seeking funds to establish regional researchers in francophone Africa, Latin America, South Asia, Eastern Europe/Central Asia, and the Middle East.


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