Announcement: Prof Usang Maria Assim appointed as Acting Head of the Children’s Rights Project

We would like to congratulate the Head of the Children’s Rights Project, Prof Benyam Dawit Mezmur, on his achievement in being awarded the Eleanor Roosevelt Fellowship at the Harvard Law School, Human Rights Program.

We are also pleased to announce that Prof Usang Maria Assim, Senior Researcher in the Children's Rights Project, was appointed as the Acting Head of the Project while Prof Mezmur is on sabbatical (from March 2022 – March 2023). We welcome Maria to her new role and look forward to her leadership.

Prof Assim joined our Team in 2016 and holds an LLD from the University of the Western Cape, an LLM from the University of Pretoria and an LLB from the Obafemi Awolowo University. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in public international law, including international human rights law and children's rights and the law. As Acting Project Head, Prof Assim’s will be responsible for the strategic leadership and day to day operations of the Project, including working in close collaboration with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, other African Union organs as well as organs of the United Nations, and other partners in the sector and beyond.

Contact Prof Usang Maria Assim on uassim@uwc.ac.za