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).
finance
upr-info.org

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

Saïda Laurent - Finance and Administration Manager

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

Nargiz Arupova - Programme Manager

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

Nicoletta Zappile - Programme Manager

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

Ashleigh Shields - Programme Manager

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

Laura Sinner - Programme Officer

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

Tenar Lorente - Programme Officer

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

Elysée Sindayigaya - Regional Advisor for Africa

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