The United Nations has appointed Prof. Joy Ezeilo, SAN, a Nigerian legal expert and Professor of Law, as a member of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan.
President of the UN Human Rights Council, Václav Bálek made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday, 19th December 2023.
Prof. Ezeilo will also work alongside, Mohamed Chande Othman of Tanzania and Mona Rishmawi of Jordan/Switzerland on the mission, with Othman as Chair.
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.”
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a distinguished Law Professor, the Emeritus Dean of Law at the University of Nigeria and the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children (2008-2014), Prof. Ezeilo holds a PhD (Nig.), LLM (London), LL.B. (Nig.), BL, and Diploma in Peace & Conflict Resolution (Uppsala).
She is a versatile legal scholar recognised as a leading authority in constitutional and criminal law, law and development, international human rights, especially on the rights of women and children in Africa.
Joy Ezeilo pioneered teaching women, children, and the law in 1997, including developing a curriculum for the education of human rights, health law and reproductive rights in Nigerian Universities with the support of the MacArthur Foundation, National Universities Commission (NUC), and Faculties of Law.
As a scholar, feminist and activist, Prof. Ezeilo has published extensively in her field of specialisation as well as worked in over 120 countries worldwide, delivering public lectures and organising and participating in conferences and workshops. She also pioneered advocacy and the development of sexual harassment policies for educational institutions and workplaces.
On December 6, 2022, she was announced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as one of 100 women of impact in the world. Prof. Ezeilo is the 2019 winner of the National Human Rights Award bestowed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). She was also honoured on 5th March 2022 with the Civil Society Award of Excellence by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/ UN Women in collaboration with the Embassies of the United States of America, Germany, France, EU Delegation and the British High Commission to mark the International Women’s Day Awards Gala 2022. Professor Ezeilo is a recipient of several international and national honours/awards, including the British Chevening Scholarship (1995), John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Funds for Leadership Development (1998) and being recognised by Newsweek/Daily Beast New York, USA in 2013 as one of the 125 women of impact in the world for her work to end human trafficking.
Ezeilo was conferred with a Nigerian Government national honour of Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) in 2006 by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR) in recognition of her outstanding contributions in nation-building, legal scholarship, advocacy, civil society movement and community service.
She also received the Hon. Justice Taslim Elias Award (2019). This is an extended teaching service award for Law Teachers who are Professors and have served over 25 years in the Teaching of Law in Nigerian Universities. She has also a member of the Body of Benchers, Nigeria, since 2019.
Prof Ezeilo has served as a Member of the United Nations Civil Society Advisory Board on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (Feb 2019 to Feb 2021); Board Member, UN Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking (2013-2016). She is also Council Member Human Rights Institute of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and was recently appointed (April 2023) to the NBA Legal Education Committee. Professor Joy Ezeilo was a former Commissioner for Gender and Social Development, Enugu State, a federal delegate to the National Political Reform Conference, and served as a member of the Governing Council, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) between 2012 to 2015 and also Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) 2018- 2021.
She is the founder of Women Aid Collective (WACOL) and Tamar SARC that collectively have provided over 60,000 free legal aid to women and children in difficult circumstances, including victims/survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Prof. Ezeilo, SAN, has an enviable public service record and has served and continues to serve on the board of several national and international organisations. She is a high Chief in Igboland and fondly called ‘triple Chief’, Ochendo, Ada ejiejemba Ndi Igbo, and Nzebuna chi.
She was married to the late Dr. Augustine Ezenta Ezeilo, and they have adult children and grandchildren.
