Alumni

Heba Al-Batreeq received her degree from Cairo University in 1995. She has been working as a lawyer and legal advisor in the development issues related to rights for the Aga Khan Cultural Services Center for Egypt. She has also worked individually as a trainer for some NGOs to teach them more about the NGO law. She has worked on a variety of human rights issues, including gender-related problems such as sexual violence. Ms. Al-Batreeq plans on using her experience from the program to further advocate for changes in the practices and customs dealing with gender based violence in Egypt and to strengthen the rights and protections of the handicraft workers in her region of the city.

Alisher Karimov received his diploma with distinction from Khujand State University in Tajikistan. He also received a master’s degree in democratic studies at the University of Leeds in the UK. Alisher currently works for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency where he works on human rights and anti-corruption issues. Upon the completing the program, he hopes to be better equipped to be involved in the democratic development process and assist in the democratic transformation of Tajikistan.

Mekdes Mezgebu received her Bachelor of Laws Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. She has been working with the National Coalition for Women against HIV/AIDS, working closely with the First Lady of Ethiopia to increase awareness of this horrific disease and find ways to eradicate its spread. Once she finishes the program, she would like to be involved in the legal reform program in Ethiopia particularly related to judicial reform and initiatives that work towards respect for the rule of law and human rights as well as contribute to her country’s democratization efforts.

Austin Msowoya received his bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Malawi with high honors in 2001. He currently works as Law Reform Officer for the Malawi Law Commission. There he plays a leading role in researching and implementing agrarian reforms to support good governance and stable democratic institutions that uphold human rights, enforce public accountability and promote the rule of law in a free-market economy. Austin plans to draw on what he learns in the LL.M. program to influence institutional reforms on a wider spectrum in Malawi’s transitional democracy.

 

Fred Ongarora received a Diploma in Law from Kenya School of Law in 1995 and was admitted to the Bar on 5th June 1996. He works with the Child Legal Aid Centre as a legal advisor and helps juveniles who have conflicts with the law. He also organizes and gives frequent seminars on democracy and the rule of and voting rights. After graduation Fred hopes to influence democratic reform and social change by educating local NGO’s.

Michael Okelloh, a lawyer from Kenya, received his bachelor of laws degree from the University of Nairobi in 2002. He has been working in the human rights field since 2004. His current position with the National Commission on Human Rights allows him to provide legal advice and assistance to individuals who petition the Commission. Mr. Okelloh plans on returning to the Commission after he completes his studies and hopes to use the knowledge he has gained to become better adept at addressing and preventing human rights abuses in Kenya.

 

Alma Tafani is a lawyer from Albania who has been working with local and international NGOs for over five years to improve living conditions for the citizens of her country. Ms. Tafani’s professional work has mainly focused on preventing abuses by police and working to reform the prison system. She desires to obtain additional knowledge about practices in other countries and plans on using this information to help her in her reform efforts in Albania. She received her law degree in Albania, and a Masters Degree in Democracy and Human Rights from the Centre for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies, Sarajevo and Bologna.

Pelden Wangmo is a lawyer working as a Registrar in the High Court of Bhutan, where she is attached to the Office of the Chief Justice. She received her law degree from the Pune University in India and her Post Graduate Diploma in National Law from the Royal Institute of Management in Thimphu, Bhutan. Ms. Wangmo worked on drafting the various Acts necessary for implementing the new Constitution which will be adopted in 2008. In particular she worked on the Civil Society Organization Act and Religious organization Act. Upon her return to Bhutan, Ms. Wangmo hopes to become a judge and will use her experiences from the program and her better understanding of other legal systems and the law to help make better informed decisions on the various issues she will address.