A Nigerian, Dr Uchenna Emelonye has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon as the country’s representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Uganda.

The appointee has over two decades of extensive experience as a human rights attorney with inter-governmental and international organisations across four continents and 22 countries.

As chief of the UN Human Rights Office in Uganda, Dr Emelonye is in-charge of formulating human rights strategies and engaging the highest level of governance in Uganda.

Prior to this position, he was the senior human rights adviser to the United Nations Country Team –Kenya.

Previously, Dr Emelonye was the head, Governance, Institutional and Justice Reform Division of the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO-Rome).

In this position, he supported the drafting of the bill of rights and rule of law chapters of the constitutions of Kenya, South Sudan and Somalia. He also pioneered the development of national justice strategies of the Republic of Yemen and Afghanistan as well as the human rights action plan of the government of Ethiopia.

Dr Emelonye’s career as an international human rights lawyer and diplomat has seen him assume senior positions and exert his version of impactful leadership in many countries and continents.

He was a Judicial Affairs Officer, United Nations-African Union Mission, Darfur-Sudan; Human Rights Officer, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Pristina Kosovo; Chief-of-Party, RCN Justice and Démocratie, Brussels Belgium and Rule of Law Coordinator, International Rescue Committee, New York USA.

Before delving into international diplomatic service, he was the Executive Director, Constitutional Rights Project (CRP); Senior Human Rights Officer, The Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) and Executive Secretary, Ideato South Local Government, Imo State.

Dr. Emelonye holds a doctorate degree in Laws (LL.D) from University of Helsinki Finland; master’s degree in Human Rights Law (LL.M) from Central European University Budapest Hungary; master’s degree in Law (LL.M) and bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B) from Abia State University Nigeria. He was admitted a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1994.

Amongst numerous peer reviewed articles published in internationally acclaimed journals, Dr. Emelonye has authored eight books with focus on Nigeria. They include Proportionality and Best Interests: Calibrating the Twin Pillars of Child Justice in Nigeria (RAN 2014);

Nigeria: Peace Building Through Integration and Citizenship (IDLO 2011); Legal Aid in Nigeria: Comparative Perspective (CRP 2007);

Intergenerational Inequity: Osu Caste Practice in South-East Nigeria (RAN 2005); Political Finance in Nigeria: A Policy Agenda for Reform (CLASA 2003); Legal and Judicial Reform in Nigeria (HURILAWS 2002);

Budget Analysis: Test of Progressive Realization of ESC Rights in Nigeria (HURILAWS 2001); The Governance Score Card; Review of Democratic Governance in Nigeria HURILAWS 2000).

Dr. Emelonye is married to Langtang – Plateau State born wife Dr.

Abigail Manwor Emelonye (Nee Nimmyel) and they are blessed with three
children.

His wife is a Researcher in the Department of Nursing Science, University of Eastern Finland.