Fellows

Visiting Fellow

Federico Borello is an executive with expertise in transitional justice, protection of civilians, human rights, and conflict resolution. He served as the Executive Director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) from 2014 to 2023 and previously held the position of Director of Investments at Humanity United. Federico has also worked with international organizations such as the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ). He coordinated the Transitional Justice Unit at MONUC, the UN mission in Congo, and played various roles within the UN, including leading investigations and issuing reports. Federico holds a law degree from the University of Milan and a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University in New York. He is fluent in Italian, English, French, and Spanish.

Visiting Fellow

Damon Barrett is co-Director of the International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy, which he co-founded in 2009. He is a senior lecturer in human rights at the School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Visiting Fellow

Daniela Baro is an Argentinian lawyer focused on Children's Rights in various capacities. She served as a child rights specialist with the International Commission of Inquiry on Gaza (2014), the Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, and the International Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. Additionally, Daniela worked as a child protection specialist on sexual exploitation and abuse with UNICEF Regional Office for West and Central Africa from 2016 to 2021. She also collaborated with Save the Children UK in Sudan and Kosovo, where she served as a human rights advisor at Headquarters. In Peacekeeping Operations, Daniela held roles such as Child Protection Advisor in the Democratic Republic of Congo, coordinator of the human rights monitoring team in Timor Leste, and coordinator of Transitional Justice and Administration of Justice in Darfur, Sudan. Furthermore, she contributed to child participation projects in city slums of Buenos Aires city while working with the Argentinian Government Aires. Daniela holds an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex (2000).

Visiting Fellow

Iain Byrne is an international human rights lawyer with nearly 30 years’ experience specialising in economic and social rights. Since 2000 he has been a Fellow of the Human Rights Centre at Essex from where he graduated with MA (distinction) in 1994 after obtaining a LLB (2:1 Hons) degree from the University of Manchester. He has a diploma (distinction) from the Human Rights Institute, Abo Akademi University, Turku, Finland in advanced human rights law. Since 2011 he has worked at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International as a Law and Policy Advisor and Researcher in the Economic and Social Justice team conducting as well as advising on and supporting ESCR research across the organisation. He has also managed a number of Amnesty teams as a Deputy Programme Director in the Global Issues Programme producing a range of major research outputs including for global campaigns. He has been involved in litigation in both domestic fora and before international and regional human rights bodies and courts including five collective complaints under the European Social Charter. Prior to Amnesty he was a Senior Lawyer and Legal Practice Director (ag.) with INTERIGHTS. He has taught and lectured at many universities across the world, is widely published and conducted training courses for amongst others the United Nations, European Union, the OSCE, Council of Europe and the British Council.

Visiting Fellow

Sam Dubberley is a fellow of the Human Rights Centre and currently serves as the director of the Technology, Rights & Investigations division at Human Rights Watch. With expertise in open-source investigations for human rights, Sam previously headed the Evidence Lab at Amnesty International, where he led award-winning projects and established the Digital Verification Corps. He co-edited "Digital Witness: Using Open-Source Information for Human Rights Investigation, Documentation, and Accountability" (Oxford University Press) and has published research on the impact of viewing harmful content during digital investigations. Sam's academic background includes degrees from the University of Cambridge, the University of Leicester, and an MBA from Koç University in Istanbul. His work bridges technology, journalism, and human rights, contributing significantly to the field of digital human rights investigations.

Visiting Fellow

Dr Sanae Fujita, an Essex graduate with an LLM in international human rights law and a PhD in Law, has been a key figure in advancing human rights awareness in Japan and globally. Her doctoral research, published as "The World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Human Rights" (Edward Elger, 2013), reflects her expertise in international institutions and human rights. Since 2013, Dr Fujita has been instrumental in raising awareness about critical human rights issues in Japan, including the Specially Designated Secrecy Bill (2013) and the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Amendment Bill (2021, 2023). She has collaborated closely with UN Special Rapporteurs, notably assisting the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression during a 2016 mission to Japan. A prolific speaker and writer, Dr Fujita regularly engages with diverse audiences to promote understanding of international human rights standards. Her book "Buki to shiteno kokusai jinken" ("International Human Rights as Arms", Shueisha, 2022) has gained wide readership in Japan. In recognition of her impactful work, she received the Facilitation of Information Distribution Prize from the Hizumi Kazuo Foundation in June 2023. At Essex, Dr Fujita continues to contribute through teaching and supervising the student-led Human Rights in Asia conference since 2009.

Honorary Professor

A former United Nations (UN) Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kate Gilmore is an Honorary Professor with the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex and a Professor-in-Practice with the International Development Department of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).  She is Chair of the Board of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Vice Chair of the Interpeace Board and a co-chair of WHO’s Gender and Human Rights Advisory Panel on Human Reproduction and of their Immunization Agenda 2030 Partnership Panel.  Until recently a Fellow with Harvard University’s Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy, she was Assistant UN Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director for Programmes with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).  Kate was also Executive Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International but started her career in Australia, working to combat violence against women and advance related public policy and services.

Visiting Fellow

Professor Liz Griffin is an academic and practitioner specialising in the theory and practice of human rights. Liz is an Honorary Professor, University of Pretoria Centre for Human Rights. She held positions as Professor and Executive Director of the Human Rights Centre, O.P Jindal Global University, India (2012-2015) and at the UN mandated University for Peace (2006-2012) where she founded and directed its Human Rights Center. She has also taught at the University of Oxford University (2005-2012) and lectured at the University of Essex (2001-2006). Liz served as Deputy Director of the Essex Human Rights Centre and Director of the BA in Human Rights (2004-2005).

Visiting Fellow

Dr Haim Abraham is a Lecturer in Laws. Dr Abraham holds a Doctor of Juridical Science degree from the University of Toronto, a Master of Law degree from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor of Law degree combined with the Interdisciplinary Honours Program in the Humanities from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he was on the editorial board of the Israel Law Review. Dr Abraham was Co-Chair of the Institute for Law, Politics and Philosophy in 2023-23. Prior to joining UCL Faculty of Laws in 2021, Dr. Abraham was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Essex School of Law, and before his return to academia, Dr Abraham served as a Law Clerk at the Israel State Attorney Office, Civil Department. In addition to his academic work, Dr Abraham consulted various Ministries and Non-Governmental Organizations in the areas of tort law, surrogacy, and parental status, such as the Ministry of Health of Israel and Israel's LGBT Task Force.

Visiting Fellow

Professor Rick Lines is Chair of the International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy, which he co-founded in 2009.  Rick is Head of Substance Use and Vulnerable Populations at Public Health Wales and is an Honorary Professor in the Department of Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy at Swansea University. Rick is known for his leading research and teaching on subjects including international drug control law, prisoners' rights, HIV and human rights, capital punishment and harm reduction. He is the former Executive Director of Harm Reduction International (2010-2018) and the Irish Penal Reform Trust (2003-2007), and for more than a decade represented NGOs at high level United Nations fora including the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the UN Human Rights Council and the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board. He is a past member of the Strategic Advisory Group to the United Nations Drug Use and HIV, the Technical Advisory Group to the Global Commission on HIV and the Law and the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use. Rick has published extensively, including the books Drug Control and Human Rights in International Law (2017) and Towards Drug Policy Justice Harm Reduction, Human Rights and Changing Drug Policy Contexts (with Damon Barrett, 2024).

Visiting Fellow

Dr Steven Malby is a Fellow of the Human Rights Centre and Deputy Head of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Human Rights Department. He previously served in FCDO as the UK’s Modern Slavery Envoy, and as Head of the UK Serious and Organised Crime Overseas Policy Network. Prior to joining the FCDO, he worked for the Commonwealth Secretariat, for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and as a consultant for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Steven’s research focuses on the intersection between criminal law, criminal theory, and international human rights law. He qualified as a Solicitor in England and Wales, and holds an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex and a Doctorate in Law from the University of Goettingen, Germany.

Visiting Fellow

Rebecca Schleifer, JD/MPH, is a globally respected advocate, researcher and scholar working in the field of health and human rights. Over the last ten years, her work at Human Rights Watch helped define the contours of this emerging field, particularly with regard to establishing core research methods, identifying and helping to set the scope of applicable standards, and opening up new sites for action and policy change in national and international settings.

Visiting Fellows

Dr Claire Simmons is a Fellow of the Human Rights Centre and Essex Armed Conflict and Crisis Hub. She is also Senior Lecturer in the Department of International Affairs, Faculty for the Study of Leadership, Security and Warfare at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Claire completed her PhD at the University of Essex Law School in 2021, on the independence and impartiality of military investigations into violations of international humanitarian law. She was previously a researcher in the Essex Armed Conflict and Crisis Hub, working on various projects related to international humanitarian law and human rights. She is one of the authors of the "Guidelines on Investigating Violations of International Humanitarian Law: Law, Policy, and Good Practice" published by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Claire has experience working on international humanitarian law and human rights in academic institutions and non-profit organisations in Thailand, France and the UK.

Honorary Fellow

Alberto Vásquez Encalada is a Peruvian lawyer and disability rights advocate. He holds an LLM in International and Comparative Disability Law and Policy from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Having worked as a research coordinator for the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities and with various UN entities, he is a senior advisor at the Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP) and the President of Sociedad y Discapacidad – SODIS. In Peru, he has been actively involved in drafting, advocating, and monitoring laws and policies relating to persons with disabilities. He also serves as a board member of the Disability Rights Fund, the Bank Information Center, and the Latin American Network of Psychosocial Diversity.