The Secretariat is in charge of implementing the Executive Board’s decisions and of ensuring the daily functioning of the organisation.
Geneva Headquarters
Roland Chauville - Executive Director
Roland Chauville is the founder and Executive Director of UPR Info. He has held this role since the organisation's establishment in February 2008. In this regard, he has been involved in the UPR process since its beginning by covering every UPR session, engaging in the strengthening of the mechanism, and participating in numerous trainings and conferences.
Roland is an Advisory Board member of the Geneva based Think tank "Universal Rights Group" and Research associate at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex. He holds a Master in International Relations from University Jean Moulin Lyon 3, in France.
Roland Chauville is the founder and Executive Director of UPR Info. He has held this role since the organisation's establishment in February 2008. In this regard, he has been involved in the UPR process since its beginning by covering every UPR session, engaging in the strengthening of the mechanism, and participating in numerous trainings and conferences.Roland is an Advisory Board member of the Geneva based Think tank "Universal Rights Group" and Research associate at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex. He holds a Master in International Relations from University Jean Moulin Lyon 3, in France.
Follow Roland on Twitter: @r_chauville
Jean-Claude Vignoli - Director of Programmes
Jean-Claude Vignoli started his collaboration with UPR Info as early as 2008. Since the beginning, he has been expanding the strategy and the activities of the organisation in Geneva and abroad. He has been developing new means of communication and online tools to raise awareness and demystify the Universal Periodic Review. He heads UPR Info’s Follow-up Programme and UPR Info’s in-country activities, and also oversees the Regional Office in Africa. Jean-Claude has been advising Governments, NGOs and institutions such as in Kenya, Malawi, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Norway, or Switzerland. He has been writing or supervising several UPR Info's publications, such as On the Road to the Implementation, Beyond Promises, and the Butterfly Effect. Prior to joining UPR Info, he worked on environmental issues and was editor of an international magazine.Jean-Claude speaks French, English, and Spanish, and conversational Italian. He holds a Master in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International Relations (Geneva), and is involved in the sustainable agenda of Geneva. He writes chronicles for various newspapers and magazines.
Follow Jean-Claude on Twitter: @jc_vignoli
Download Jean-Claude's PGP public key
Aoife Hegarty - Programme Manager
Aoife joined the staff of UPR Info in 2015, bringing with her several years of international experience in human rights. She has a strong knowledge of regional and international mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular the United Nations human rights machinery. Aoife began her career at the Copenhagen-based think tank Freedom Rights Project working primarily on freedom of expression, and subsequently on women's rights and gender issues for an international NGO based in Geneva.
Aoife holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, with a specialisation in human rights and humanitarian law. She has a particular interest in the confluence of law and international relations in the Middle East. Aoife speaks English, Gaelic, Danish and French, and has conversational Arabic.
Aoife joined the staff of UPR Info in 2015, bringing with her several years of international experience in human rights. She has a strong knowledge of regional and international mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular the United Nations human rights machinery. Aoife began her career at the Copenhagen-based think tank Freedom Rights Project working primarily on freedom of expression, and subsequently on women's rights and gender issues for an international NGO based in Geneva.Aoife holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, with a specialisation in human rights and humanitarian law. She has a particular interest in the confluence of law and international relations in the Middle East. Aoife speaks English, Gaelic, Danish and French, and has conversational Arabic.
Hans Fridlund - Programme Manager
Hans Fridlund joined UPR Info as Follow-Up Project Manager in 2016. Previously to this commitment he worked extensively on strengthening the capacity of national NGOs and advancing domestic human rights implementation, paying particular attention to minority rights. He first got acquainted with Geneva through his position with WFUNA where he conducted human rights trainings for member organisations in parallel to engaging with the Human Rights Council. Hans holds an M.A. in Human Rights from the University of Essex and his dissertation addressed the charge on the universal application of human rights from proponents of cultural relativism.Hans has a keen interest in human rights implementation on the ground and values the impact local experiences have on global efforts to promote and protect human rights. He speaks Swedish, German, and English.
Follow Hans on Twitter: @hfridlund
Anna-Thérèse McGivern - Junior Programme Officer
Anna joined UPR Info in 2016 as Junior Programme Officer. She previously interned at UPR Info after graduating from Maastricht University with a Masters in Globalisation and Development Studies. She also spent some time working at the UK Mission in Geneva and prior to moving to the Netherlands for her studies Anna lived and worked in York, UK. She studied Political Sciences at the University of York (UK) having worked for an international NGO in the UK and Liberia.Anna's interests lie in globalisation and development, the environment, and the universality of human rights. She is learning French and pursuing el bien vivir.
Follow Anna on Twitter: @ATMcGivern
Africa Regional Office
Gilbert Onyango - Regional Director
Mr. Gilbert Onyango graduated in 1999 with an LL.B Degree from Dr. BAM University, Aurangabad, India and was admitted to the Kenyan Bar in 2002. He is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public. In 2008, Gilbert graduated from the United States International University, Africa (USIU-A) with a Master’s of Science (M.Sc.) Degree in Management and Organisational Development. In 2012, Gilbert graduated with a Masters of Arts (M.A.) Degree in Development Studies with major in Human Rights, Development and Social Justice from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University, Rotterdam.
Gilbert joined The CRADLE-The Children’s Foundation in 2002 where he rose to the position of Deputy Director. Between June and December, 2010, he worked as Regional Deputy Director for the Canadian Bar Association’s Strengthening Access to Justice in Eastern Africa (SAJEA) Programme in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In May, 2010, he founded The East African Centre for Human Rights (EACHRights) where he where served as Regional Director from December, 2010 to May, 2015. Mr. Onyango joined UPR Info in 2015 as the Africa Regional Coordinator. He is now Africa Regional Director.
Fredrick Kinama- Finance and Administrative Officer
Mr. Fredrick Kinama is a Certified Public Accountant in Kenya. He is a finance professional with over 10 years Experience in NGO finance and administration management.
Previously, Fredrick worked at Tearfund-UK as Finance advisor - West Africa region team; Project accountant at Aga-Khan Foundation East Africa; Finance and administration Consultant USDA/USAID; Assistant Finance Officer University of Missouri assistance Program.
He also has worked in different African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Zanzibar and Liberia.
Fredrick holds a Bachelor's degree in Business administration from SMCU, 3 year diploma in Business management from Sigalagala TTI in addition to being a Certified Public Accountant Kenya from Kenya College of Accountancy University.
Mr. Gilbert Onyango graduated in 1999 with an LL.B Degree from Dr. BAM University, Aurangabad, India and was admitted to the Kenyan Bar in 2002. He is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public. In 2008, Gilbert graduated from the United States International University, Africa (USIU-A) with a Master’s of Science (M.Sc.) Degree in Management and Organisational Development. In 2012, Gilbert graduated with a Masters of Arts (M.A.) Degree in Development Studies with major in Human Rights, Development and Social Justice from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University, Rotterdam.Gilbert joined The CRADLE-The Children’s Foundation in 2002 where he rose to the position of Deputy Director. Between June and December, 2010, he worked as Regional Deputy Director for the Canadian Bar Association’s Strengthening Access to Justice in Eastern Africa (SAJEA) Programme in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In May, 2010, he founded The East African Centre for Human Rights (EACHRights) where he where served as Regional Director from December, 2010 to May, 2015. Mr. Onyango joined UPR Info in 2015 as the Africa Regional Coordinator. He is now Africa Regional Director.
Fredrick Kinama- Finance and Administrative Officer
Mr. Fredrick Kinama is a Certified Public Accountant in Kenya. He is a finance professional with over 10 years Experience in NGO finance and administration management.Previously, Fredrick worked at Tearfund-UK as Finance advisor - West Africa region team; Project accountant at Aga-Khan Foundation East Africa; Finance and administration Consultant USDA/USAID; Assistant Finance Officer University of Missouri assistance Program.
He also has worked in different African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Zanzibar and Liberia.
Fredrick holds a Bachelor's degree in Business administration from SMCU, 3 year diploma in Business management from Sigalagala TTI in addition to being a Certified Public Accountant Kenya from Kenya College of Accountancy University.