Sudan Crisis: Nigeria’s Prof. Ezeilo Gets Continental Assignment

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Around Africa Thursday, December 21st, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The President of the Human Rights Council, Václav Bálek (Czech Republic), has announced the appointment of Mohamed Chande Othman of Tanzania, professor Joy Ezeilo of Nigeria and Mona Rishmawi of Jordan/Switzerland to serve as the three independent members of the new Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan.

Mr. Othman will serve as Chair of the Mission.

The Human Rights Council established the Fact-Finding Mission in October, through resolution A/HRC/RES/54/2, “to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of all alleged human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against refugees, and related crimes in the context of the ongoing armed conflict that began on 15 April 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, as well as other warring parties.”

The Mission, which was established for an initial duration of one year, was further requested to collect and analyse evidence in view of any future legal proceedings; to identify, where possible, individuals and entities responsible; and to make recommendations with a view to ending impunity and ensuring accountability and access to justice for victims.

The President of the Human Rights Council sought recommendations from various stakeholders and expressions of interest to find highly qualified and impartial candidates to fill these positions.

The Mission members will serve in their personal capacities and will not be paid salaries for their work.

African Examiner reports that the Council requested the Fact-Finding Mission to provide an oral update on their findings followed by an interactive dialogue at the Council’s fifty-sixth session, in June-July 2024.

It also requested the Mission to present a comprehensive report at the Council’s fifty-seventh session, in September-October 2024, and to submit those findings to the UN General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, in October 2024.

Biography of Prof. Joy Ezeilo

Joy Ezeilo (Nigeria) is a distinguished Law Professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) with expertise in international human rights, criminal law, comparative constitution and the rights of women and children in Africa.

Ezeilo is Emeritus Dean of Law at the University of Nigeria, and a visiting professor at multiple universities.

She is also the Founder and Director of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), a Nigerian NGO dedicated to advancing the human rights of women and young people. From 2008-2014, she served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons.

The former Enugu state Commissioner for gender Affairs has received numerous national and international accolades, including the Nigerian Government’s Officer of the Order of Niger (2006) and a place on the BBC’s 2022 listing of 100 women of impact in the world.

In 2021, she emerged the Woman of the Time at the Frontier Discourse Public Lecture and Awards organised by Pacesetter Frontier Magazine.