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.
Honorary President of
the Universal Rights
Group
the Universal Rights
Group
President Jose Ramos Horta. (Timor-Leste)
Chairperson of the
Board
Board
Dr Ahmed Shaheed (Maldives)
VICE-CHAIRPERSON of
the
Board
the Board
Dr Nazila Ghanea (Iran)
Members of
the Board
the Board
Professor Juan Mendez (Argentina)
Professor John Knox (US)
Professor Paul Hunt (New Zealand, UK)
Professor Heiner Bielefeldt (Germany)
Ms Yasmin Sooka (South Africa)
Ms Catarina de Albuquerque (Portugal)
Professor Christof Heyns (South Africa)
Pablo de Greiff (Colombia)
Ms Yvette Stevens (Sierra Leone)
Ms Magdalena Sepùlveda Carmona (Chile)
Prof. Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan (Guyana)
Marta Maurás Pérez (Chile)
Former members of
the Board
the Board
Ms. Asma Jahangir (Pakistan) (1952-2018)
Professor Sir Nigel Rodley (UK) (1941-2017)
Professor Michael O’Flaherty (Ireland)
Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo (Ghana)