Human Rights Advocates Program

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Our Advocates

Between 1989 and 2023, more than 350 advocates from nearly 100 countries have attended the program. HRAP participants have ranged from early-career advocates who cut their teeth in very urgent human rights situations to mid-career advocates who have founded organizations. HRAP alumni have served as UN special rapporteurs, in the ministries of their governments, and at leading human rights organizations around the globe. They have been recognized with honors including the Rafto Prize, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award and the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, the highest acknowledgment from the international human rights community.

Below are the biographies of current Advocates and descriptions by select alumni as to why they became human rights advocates.

To see a list of additional past Advocates click here.

To read about more about the work of our Advocates click here .

All years

Aehshatou Manu, 2016

Cameroon

Aehshatou Manu

Cameroon, 2016

Secretary General , African Indigenous Women Organization Central African Network (AIWO-CAN)

Aehshatou Manu is the Secretary General at the African Indigenous Women Organization Central African Network (AIWO-CAN). Her previous role was as the national women coordinator of the Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association. In her role, Aehshatou has been contributing to reshaping local and international policies with regards to the indigenous peoples' rights. She specializes in advocating for the rights of the indigenous pastoralist and the forest gatherers communities in Cameroon. She is also involved with the promotion of women’s rights.

“My area of expertise is women’s and girls’ rights, especially the land rights of women as a crucial factor for their economic empowerment,” says Aehshatou. “I provide capacity building workshops for youth and women. This includes human rights, civic responsibility, and entrepreneurial skills training for indigenous women and girls, focusing in particular on income generating activities, leadership skills, combatting gender-based violence, and mitigating climate change.”

Aehshatou reports: “HRAP has greatly improved my skills of networking, strategic thinking, and planning. I better understood my strengths and gained the ability to better articulate human rights concerns of the indigenous communities in a global context of minority rights. Not only has the knowledge I gained with HRAP had paramount importance for my personal development, but it has also benefited my organization and other professional networks to which I belong. My arguments gained more weight when advocating for policy changes for the indigenous peoples at local, national, regional and international levels.”

Aehshatou has put into practice some of what she learned in HRAP through activities including an oral history as well as four documentaries about the Mbororo indigenous peoples’ communities. In 2018, she was chosen for the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship of the Department of State and attended a training program at the Presidential Precinct University of Virginia where she further improved her theoretical knowledge and leadership skills.

In terms of international advocacy efforts, Aehshatou has taken an active part in the United Nation’s Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and in its Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 2018, Aehshatou was invited to participate at the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 39th session.

In March-April 2019, during the ongoing crises in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon, Aehshatou led humanitarian assistance activities on behalf of her organization for the women and girls of the internally displaced Mbororo pastoralist indigenous people (IDPs). The assistance program included addressing the basic needs of the IDPs and providing financial support to nine women to start up a small business to sustain their families.

Nvard Margaryan, 2016

Armenia

Nvard Margaryan

Armenia, 2016

Projects Director, Socioscope NGO

Nvard Margaryan is the Projects Director at Socioscope NGO. She says "In 2019, I embarked on my journey as a researcher and Projects Director at "Socioscope," a Societal Research and Consultancy Center NGO. Additionally, I have established myself as an independent consultant specializing in strategic planning for NGOs, advocacy, and human rights. As of 2020, I have proudly served as a consultant for the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Armenia and taken on the role of advocacy advisor at Human Rights House Yerevan."

Before this role, Margaryan worked for more than five years at PINK Armenia, the largest LGBT community-based organization in Armenia. Elected as Chairperson in 2015, Margaryan and her colleagues strived to create a safe space for LGBT people by promoting legal, psychological, and social protection and well-being. She also played a major role in the launching of an e-magazine, As You, which presents readers with issues related to human rights, sexuality, gender and other issues. Margaryan is involved in women's rights movement in Armenia and is a board member of the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women. Margaryan is also a board member of the Non-Discrimination and for Equality Coalition in Armenia. In 2018, Margaryan participated in the Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network, Young Professionals Summit, and Brussels Forum. Margaryan earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Yerevan State University.

Samuel Matsikure, 2016

Zimbabwe

Samuel Matsikure

Zimbabwe, 2016

Program Manager, Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)

Samuel Matsikure is a 2016 graduate of HRAP from Zimbabwe. He has been an LGBTI and minorities human rights activist for more than 16 years. He has been working in the sector on mental health, sex, and sexuality, STI management, HIV, SRHR, Human rights, capacity building, fundraising, management, research and writing on LGBTI issues. He is currently a programs manager for GALZ - An LBGTI Association in Zimbabwe.

HRAP had a major impact on Samuel’s progress in advocating for LGBTI rights in a turbulent environment. He says: “Since HRAP I have become the face and voice of LGBTI community through speaking on live community media shows, radio programs, by raising awareness on LGBTI realities, rights and violations that are experienced by the community, demand for social inclusion and recognition on LGBTI persons in Zimbabwe and Africa. The shows are broadcasted nationwide with over 15 000 live audience reaches per session. I have engaged over 70 Parliamentarians in Zimbabwe on LGBTI rights and the need to create policies and laws that protect the rights of LGBTI persons as equal citizens.” His advocacy efforts went beyond the national perspective and included engagement at the international level. Since HRAP, Samuel participated in the UN high-level multi-stakeholders meeting on Universal Health Coverage and at PITCH - the Partnership to Inspire, Transform and Connect the HIV Response - Summit coordinated by Frontline Aids on HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health for Key Populations.

Samuel says: “The program gave me the determination to change the human rights landscape for LGBTI persons in Zimbabwe by engaging structures and people of influence within government, civil society and communities. I am more visible as a champion of human rights in Zimbabwe. I have also created a human rights page on social media to expand my scope beyond LGBTI rights. I have more networks and resource base I can reach out to for technical, financial, academic and mentorship support. I got a better understanding of local systems to work with on human rights advancement such as the Human rights commission, National Peace and Justice Commission, UN Human Rights Council, World Health Organization, UN agencies, and other human rights organizations in Zimbabwe and globally.”

When recalling the best parts of the program, Samuel notes: “The group cohesion and passion our class had were remarkable. I particularly appreciated the support we got from our director Stephanie Grepo [the Director of Capacity Building at the Institute for the Study of Human Rights] and the amazing and accommodating professors at Columbia University, including the leading professor of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights. Above all, the skills and knowledge we got are priceless.” Samuel keeps contact with fellow HRAP classmates. He even had a chance meet some of them in the framework of his advocacy work for the LGBTI persons’ rights globally.

Samuel’s current efforts focus on advocating for decriminalizing homosexuality in Zimbabwe, capacity building for parliamentarians, journalists and communities on LGBTI rights and the importance of social inclusion. Samuel recently enrolled in a master’s degree program at the Africa University to pursue human rights, peace and development studies and will be starting the program in August 2019.

- Article composed by Chiora Taktakishvili, Fulbright Exchange Visitor, July 2019

Mulshid Muwonge, 2016

Uganda

Mulshid Muwonge

Uganda, 2016

Communications Executive & Security Management Trainer, Defenders Protection Initiative

Mulshid is a 2016 graduate of HRAP from Uganda. He is the director of special projects and strategic initiatives at Defenders Protection Initiative. At the same time, he works as an associate consultant at Akijul (Enabling Change). He has worked closely with organizations to facilitate change management and other organizational learning and development processes.

Mulshid's areas of expertise include gender mainstreaming in organizations, people and organization, strategic management, human-centered design, humanitarian safety, protection and security management, the African human rights system, diversity and inclusion, advanced data analytics, digital transformation, and performance improvement.

He has also worked on specialized assignments in South East Asia, particularly in Cambodia and Myanmar, and across the Eastern and Horn of Africa, particularly focusing on project and program design, coordination and implementation.

Mulshid holds an M.Phil. in human rights and democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria, and a B.Sc. with the Dean's Merit Award in Business Computing from Makerere University, Kampala.

- Article updated by Chiora Taktakishvili, Fulbright Exchange Visitor, July 2019