The Secretariat is in charge of implementing the Executive Board’s decisions and of ensuring the daily functioning of the organisation.
Geneva Headquarters
Mona M'Bikay - Executive Director
Mona M’Bikay joined UPR Info in September 2017 as the new Executive Director. Mona M'Bikay is a human rights lawyer with 20 years of working experience acquired at both national (Swiss Federal Office of Justice and Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Law Firms and Administrative Tribunal in Geneva) and at international level (UN OHCHR, Regional Office for Southern Africa, UNDP Bangladesh, Rights and Development Consultancy).
Her expertise includes human rights and sustainable development, gender equality, democratic governance, rule of law, business and human rights and public international law. She has a vast experience developing capacities of various national partners to advocate for the respect of human rights.
She holds a Law degree from the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, a Master in International Studies with specialisation in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, a Postgraduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution Skills from the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Studies at Coventry University, United Kingdom and a Diploma in Sustainable Development and Human Rights from the Human Rights Centre, University for Peace, San Jose, Costa Rica.
She is fluent in French and English and has good knowledge of Dutch and German.
She is a passionate runner and mother of two children.
m.mbikay
upr-info.org
Saïda Laurent - Finance and Administration Manager
Saïda joined UPR Info in January 2018 as Human Resources and Finance Manager. Prior to joining UPR Info, she worked at the International Commission of Jurists first as a Finance Officer for the Legal & Policy Office and the Africa Regional Program and after as a Finance and Payroll Officer (from 2016-2018). Previously, she was a Regional Budget Coordinator for the Regional Health Agency in Lyon (2013-2014) and for Médecins Sans Frontières in Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo as a Field Human Resources and Finance Manager, and as a Human Resources Coordinator (2009-2012). She started her career in 2004, as a Professor in High School in Paris (Health and Social management), and as an Events Project Manager for Coach Communication Group based in Paris, Lyon and Toulouse.
Saïda holds a Master of Human Resources and Finance Manager from l’Institut Bioforce in Lyon, and a Bachelor of Human Sciences in Montpellier. She speaks French and English, and her mother tongue Amazigh (Berber).
financeupr-info.org
Mona M’Bikay joined UPR Info in September 2017 as the new Executive Director. Mona M'Bikay is a human rights lawyer with 20 years of working experience acquired at both national (Swiss Federal Office of Justice and Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Law Firms and Administrative Tribunal in Geneva) and at international level (UN OHCHR, Regional Office for Southern Africa, UNDP Bangladesh, Rights and Development Consultancy).Her expertise includes human rights and sustainable development, gender equality, democratic governance, rule of law, business and human rights and public international law. She has a vast experience developing capacities of various national partners to advocate for the respect of human rights.
She holds a Law degree from the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, a Master in International Studies with specialisation in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, a Postgraduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution Skills from the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Studies at Coventry University, United Kingdom and a Diploma in Sustainable Development and Human Rights from the Human Rights Centre, University for Peace, San Jose, Costa Rica.
She is fluent in French and English and has good knowledge of Dutch and German.
She is a passionate runner and mother of two children.
m.mbikay
upr-info.orgSaïda Laurent - Finance and Administration Manager
Saïda joined UPR Info in January 2018 as Human Resources and Finance Manager. Prior to joining UPR Info, she worked at the International Commission of Jurists first as a Finance Officer for the Legal & Policy Office and the Africa Regional Program and after as a Finance and Payroll Officer (from 2016-2018). Previously, she was a Regional Budget Coordinator for the Regional Health Agency in Lyon (2013-2014) and for Médecins Sans Frontières in Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo as a Field Human Resources and Finance Manager, and as a Human Resources Coordinator (2009-2012). She started her career in 2004, as a Professor in High School in Paris (Health and Social management), and as an Events Project Manager for Coach Communication Group based in Paris, Lyon and Toulouse.Saïda holds a Master of Human Resources and Finance Manager from l’Institut Bioforce in Lyon, and a Bachelor of Human Sciences in Montpellier. She speaks French and English, and her mother tongue Amazigh (Berber).
finance
upr-info.org
Nargiz Arupova - Programme Manager
Nargiz has joined UPR Info in July 2017 as a Programme Manager. She has extensively worked on international human rights, development and rule of law. Prior to joining UPR Info, she has worked at the Geneva Center for Democratic Control of Armed Forces where she contributed on monitoring the capacity building of National Human Rights Institutions and on enhancing the good practices of parliamentary oversight of the security sector. Moreover, she has worked at the Geneva Infant Feeding Association and the International Institute for Humanitarian Law.Nargiz holds an LL.M. in Public International Law from Leiden University and an LL.B. in European Law from Maastricht University. She speaks fluently Russian, French, English and has good knowledge of German.
n.arupova
upr-info.orgNicoletta Zappile - Programme Manager
Nicoletta joined UPR Info in July 2018 as Programme Manager. Prior to joining UPR Info, she worked at the International Commission of Jurists first as Development Officer (from 2013-2018) and then also as Project Officer for the ICJ Global Redress and Accountability Initiative for gross human rights violations (2017-2018). She started her career as a journalist and Digital Editor of The Global Journal, an international affairs focused media start-up based in Geneva.Nicoletta holds a LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and a MAS in International Relations with a specialization in international law from the University of Florence. She speaks Italian, English and French.
nicoletta.zappile
upr-info.orgAshleigh Shields - Programme Manager
Ashleigh joined UPR Info in September 2018 as Programme Manager of the Pre-Sessions Programme. She has experience working in both government and non-profit sectors on issues related to human rights and conflict, including for Global Affairs Canada in Paris and Geneva, and the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France.Ashleigh holds an M.A. in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada where she studied as a civilian graduate student, as well as a B.A. Honours from Queen’s University, with a specialization in Political Studies and History. She is fluent in English and French and has a good knowledge of Spanish.
a.shields
upr-info.org
Laura Sinner - Programme Officer
Laura has joined UPR Info in January 2018 and is now working as a Programme Officer in the In-country Programme. She holds a B.A in International Relations and a M.A in European Studies from the University of Geneva with a specialisation in Economics and Politics. Prior to joining UPR Info, she has worked at the Zurich-based think tank Avenir Suisse by assisting in communication, translation, logistics and research.She is particularly interested in parliamentary oversight of the respect of human rights and parliamentarians’ role in strengthening human rights in general. Laura speaks fluently French, English and German and has basic knowledge of Portuguese.
l.sinner
upr-info.orgTenar Lorente - Programme Officer
Tenar Lorente has been engaged with UPR Info since 2017. Prior to joining UPR Info, she worked for the Permanent Mission of Spain to the UNOG in the department of human rights working closely with the Human Rights Council and its treaty bodies. She has also work at the World Federation of United Nations Associations where she trained youth from all over the world and followed-up on the implementation of youth-led human rights projects in local context.She studied International Relations in the University of Arkansas and holds a Master on European Studies from the Spanish Royal Institute of European Studies. Tenar speaks fluently Spanish, English, French and has conversational Italian.
t.lorente
upr-info.org
Elysée Sindayigaya - Regional Advisor for Africa
Elysée Sindayigaya est un spécialiste des droits de l’homme et de l’état de droit avec plus de 16 ans d’expérience en Afrique (Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, RDC, Ghana, Guinée, Kenya, Ouganda et Sénégal). Elysée était récemment le Chef des Programmes de la Maison des droits de l’homme du Centre Carter en RDC. Avant, il était le Directeur pays adjoint d’American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, Consultant indépendant et Directeur des finances pour PADCO et AECOM. Au cours de cette période, Elysée a acquis une grande expérience dans le développement, la gestion et l’évaluation des projets de droits de l’homme et d’état de droit et l’accompagnement des parties prenantes pour le renforcement de leurs capacités. Elysée a également acquis des compétences solides en analyse de contextes, enquêtes, cartographie et gestion des parties prenantes, planification stratégique, genre, protection, leadership et recherche.Elysée est titulaire d'un master en gestion de projet de l'Université de Roehampton et d'une licence en droit de l’Université du Burundi. En plus, il a obtenu deux certificats en gestion des subventions et finances délivrés par CEFORED Institute de Nairobi. Elysée parle couramment français, kirundi, swahili et anglais.
regional.advisor@upr-info.org