Board of Trustees

The Universal Rights Group's strategic direction is guided by the Board of Trustees. Meeting at least once a year, it can also contribute to, approve and amend the URG's biennial programme of work.

The Board is made up of eminent experts from the world of human rights including current and former Special Procedure mandate-holders, current and former members of treaty bodies, former foreign ministers, international judges, heads of human rights NGOs and leading academics.

The URG aims to achieve regional and gender balance in all its governing bodies and in its secretariat.

Members of the Board

Dr Ahmed Shaheed (Maldives)

Professor Daniel Magraw (US)

Ms Yasmin Sooka (South Africa)

Mr Pablo de Greiff (Colombia)

Professor Juan Mendez (Argentina)

Ms Yvette Stevens (Sierra Leone)

Professor Paul Hunt (New Zealand, UK)

Ms Marta Maurás Pérez
 (Chile)

Mr Mark Thomson
(Fiji, Switzerland, UK)

Professor Yanghee Lee (Republic of Korea)

Professor John Knox (US)

Prof. Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan (Guyana)

Former members of the Board

Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo (Ghana)

Ms. Asma Jahangir (Pakistan)

Professor Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im (Sudan)

Professor Michael O’Flaherty (Ireland)

Dr Nazila Ghanea (Iran)

Professor Sir Nigel Rodley (UK)

Professor Christof Heyns (South Africa)