Joy Ezeilo

Prof
Joy Ezeilo
Born
Joy Ngozi Ezeilo
CitizenshipNigeria
Occupations
Awards2022 BBC 100 Women
Academic background
Alma mater
Academic work
Institutions

Joy Ngozi Ezeilo is a Nigerian professor of public law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, an activist,[1] and a six-year United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking persons in Africa.[2][3][4] She is also a former Commissioner for Gender and Social Development, Enugu State.[5] She was a former Dean and HOD of faculty of law University of Nigeria Nsukka[2][4][3] and the founder of the Women Aid Collective (WACOL).[6] She is a recipient of Officer of the Order of Niger (OON)  and one of the 2022 BBC 100 Women[7][8][9]

Early life and education

Joy was born in 1966 at Enugu in Nigeria.[10] She earned her  Ph.D. in  Nigeria,  LLM in London LL.B. also in Nigeria BL, Diploma, Peace & Conflict Resolution in Uppsala.[2][11][8]

Career

Joy became a professor of Law in 2011.[12] She was part of the United Nations Civil Society Advisory Board on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse between Feb 2019 to Feb 2022. In 2013, she was selected by the UN Secretary-General as one of the members  of the Board of Trustees UN Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking that is  managed by the UNODC Vienna, Austria.[12] In Nigeria, she is the Chairperson of the Sexual Assault Referral Network (SARC), a co-chair of Africa Advisory Committee, Human Rights Watch, Africa Division, and a Council Member Human Rights Institute of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).  Between 2012 and 2015,  Ezeilo was nominated as a Commissioner for Gender and Social Development in Enugu State.[11][2] She delivered the 144th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Nigeria on October 11, 2018. It was entitled, "`Are we born free or equal? Law, Justice and Human Rights in Nigeria’."[13] On December 19, 2023, she was appointed a member of the United Nations' Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan, working alongside Mohamed Chande Othman of Tanzania and Mona Rishmawi of Jordan/Switzerland on the mission.[6][14][15]

Awards

In 1995, Joy won British Chevening School Scholarship.[12] In 1998, she won the MacArthur Funds for Leadership Development.[16] In 2006, she was honoured with a Nigerian Government national honour of Officer of the Order of Nigeria (OON) by President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR).[11] In 2013, she was named in Newsweek & Daily Beast of 125 Women of Impact worldwide.[17][18] In 2019, she won the National Human Rights Award and the Hon. Justice Taslim Elias Award (given to law professors who had taught for over twenty-five years in Nigerian universities).[12] On March 5, 2022, she was given the civil society award of Excellence by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In 2022, she was awarded as one of the 2022 BBC 100 Women.[9][2][19] On March 5, 2022, she was honoured 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 commemorate the International Women’s Day Awards Gala.[12]

Personal life

She is a high Chief in Igboland bestowed with the triple chieftaincy of 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.[12]

References

  1. ^ Rapheal (2019-05-19). "Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Dean, faculty of law, UNN: Our avarice for wealth needs psychiatric help". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Bio of Prof Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (Officer of the Order of Niger) - Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu". www.uneclaw.ng. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  3. ^ a b "Nigeria not practising women equality-Prof. Ezeilo".
  4. ^ a b "Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo". Society for Family Health Nigeria. Archived from the original on 2023-06-04. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  5. ^ "UN Honours Prof Ezeilo, For Advancing Rights Of Women In Nigeria".
  6. ^ a b "President of Human Rights Council appoints members of new investigative mechanism on Sudan". United Nations. December 18, 2023.
  7. ^ "Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (Oon), former Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children". OHCHR. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  8. ^ a b "BBC 100 Women 2022: Who is on the list this year? - BBC News". News. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  9. ^ a b Nigeria, Guardian (2022-12-07). "Ezeilo, Faborode make BBC list of 100 world inspiring women". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  10. ^ "HRC Application Form" (PDF).
  11. ^ a b c "Meet Our Executive Director - WACOL". 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  12. ^ a b c d e f "JOY EZEILO PROFILE.pdf". Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  13. ^ "Nigeria not practising women equality-Prof. Ezeilo". Vanguard (Nigeria). December 11, 2018.
  14. ^ "UN Appoints Nigeria's Female Professor Into Sudan Fact-Finding Mission On Human Rights Abuses | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  15. ^ Magazine, Law & Society (2023-12-20). "UN appoints Joy Ezeilo as member, independent international fact-finding mission for Sudan". Law and Society Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  16. ^ "Ezeilo, Joy - MacArthur Foundation". www.macfound.org. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  17. ^ "MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY ADVISORY BOARD" (PDF).
  18. ^ "CSW 65 Expert Group Meeting" (PDF).
  19. ^ Ibeh, Royal (2023-05-13). "Prof Ezeilo: Advocating For Women Inclusion". Retrieved 2023-08-01.