Professor Uchenna Emelonye
- +44 (0)1202 961857
- uemelonye at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
- http://orcid.org/0009-0000-2054-736X
- Visiting Professor of Human Rights Law
- Weymouth House, Talbot Campus
Biography
Professor Uchenna Emelonye is the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the United Nations in Sierra Leone. He brings to this position decades of multidisciplinary experiences across 22 countries and four continents in diverse aspects human rights, rule of law, good governance and security sector reform in conflict, post conflict, transition and development contexts. Prior to this post, he was the Country Representative, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Liberia. Similarly, he served as OHCHR Country Representative in Uganda and Senior Human Rights Adviser to the United Nations in Kenya. In the context of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, he was Judicial Affairs Officer, United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Sudan; Human Rights Officer, OHCHR Pristina Kosovo; Human Rights Officer, United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), etc.
Outside the United Nations system, Professor Emelonye occupied several cognate and strategic positions. He was the Head, Governance, Institutional and Justice Reform at International Development Law Organization (IDLO) Rome, Italy... On this post, he superintended over a global rule of law portfolio that supported constitutional, institutional, legal and judicial reforms in countries across common law, civil law and Islamic legal systems. Likewise, he was the Chief-of-Party, “European Union Emergency Assistance to the Justice System of South Sudan” and successfully supported South Sudan’s transition from Islamic legal system to English Common Law. Other related positions include Rule of Law Coordinator, International Rescue Committee (IRC) Sudan; Executive Director, Constitutional Rights Project (CRP-Nigeria); Senior Legal Officer, The Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), etc.
Professor. Emelonye was admitted to the roll of Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1995 and holds a doctorate degree in Law (LLD) from the University of Helsinki Finland. His doctoral thesis calibrated and postulated that the principles of 'proportionality' and 'best interest of the child' are the twin pillars of child justice. He also holds a masters degree in Human Rights Law (LLM) from Central European University, Budapest Hungary; masters degree in Law (LLM) and bachelors degree in Law (LLB) from Abia State University Nigeria. With pedagogical experiences across reputable universities in Africa, Europe and North America and as a prolific researcher with extensive publication profile, he is a Visiting Professor of Human Rights Law at Bournemouth University, United Kingdom. His current research interest is at the intersection and fusion of human rights law and practice.
moreJournal Articles
- Emelonye, U. and Igiriogu, F., 2023. Human Rights as the Foundation for Ethical Practice of Law. Human-Rights-as-the-Foundation-for-Ethical-Practice-of- Law.pdf (eajournals.org).
- Emelonye, U. and r Odoeme, C.V., 2022. “Insecurity, Rule of Law and Human Rights in Nigeria: Are Lawyers on the Right Path of History?”. Global Journal of Politics and Law Research.
- Emelonye, U., Igiriogu, F. and Ebai, E., 2022. Respect for and Protection of Human Rights: An Imperative for Peace, Security and Development in Liberia. European American Journal, Vol.10 (No.1).
- Emelonye, U. and Kezie-Nwoha, H., 2020. Women in Armed Conflict in Uganda. International Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences Studies (IJAHSSS).
- Emelonye, U. and Emelonye, U.P., 2020. Public Policy Exception in the Enforcement of Arbitral Awards in Nigeria. Beijing Law Review.
- Emelonye, U., Emelonye, U.P. and Vahard, P., 2020. Normative and Institutional Framework for Defending Human Rights Defenders in Liberia. US-China Law Review.
- Emelonye, U., 2020. Normative Evolution of Child Rights in Nigeria. Journal of Advance Research in Social Science and Humanities.
- Emelonye, U., Emelonye, A. and Emelonye, U., 2019. Preventing Maternal Mortality in Nigeria: A Human Rights Imperative. US-China Law Review, Vol.16 (4), 166-178.
- Emelonye, U., 2018. Standardizing and Operationalizing the Child Justice System in Nigeria. Miyetti Quarterly Law Review.
- Emelonye, U., 2018. Theoretical and Normative Foundation of Child Rights. US-China Law Review.
- Emelonye, U., 2017. Impact of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution on Child Rights in Nigeria. Miyetti Quarterly Law Review.
- Emelonye, U., 2015. Diverse Strategies in Human Rights Education: Sharing Experience of Introducing Human Rights as Undergraduate Common Core Course in Kenya. US-China Law Review.
- Emelonye, U., 2012. The Principle of Proportionality: Framework for Juvenile Justice in Nigeria. African Journal of Clinical Legal Education and Access to Justice.
Books
- Human Rights Index: Nigeria’s Treaty Reports and Concluding Observations of Treaty Bodies. National Human Rights Commission.
- Human Rights in Nigeria: Perspectives of Special Procedures of the United Nations. National Human Rights Commission.
- Emelonye, U., 2021. Dialectics of Rights Nigeria's Engagement with the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council.
- Nigeria: Peace Building Through Integration and Citizenship. Internaational Development Law Organisation (IDLO).
- Emelonye, U., 2007. Legal Aid in Nigeria Comparative Perspective.
- Emelonye, U., 2005. Intergenerational Inequity: Osu Caste Practice in South-East Nigeria. Rights Access Network (RAN).
- Agbakoba, O. and Emelonye, U.J., 2001. Test of progressive realisation of economic, social and cultural rights in Nigeria : (1990-1999 budget analysis).
- Emelonye, U., 2000. The Governance Scorecard Review of Democratic Governance in Nigeria.
- Agbakoba, O., Emelonye, U. and Mamah, W.U.J., 2000. Legal and judicial sector reform in Nigeria report back to rule of law assessment mission to Nigeria.
Chapters
- Emelonye, U., 2018. Challenges to Implementing The Justice Provisions Of The Child Rights Act of Nigeria. Lawyering With Integrity: Essays In Honour of Ernest Ojukwu, SAN.. Abia State University.
- Emelonye, U., 2014. Interpreting Child Justice as Child Rights (2014) Contemporary Issues on Law and Society. A Tribute to An Exponent: Honourable Justice B.A. Njemanze Published by High Court of Justice Imo State ISBN. A Tribute to An Exponent: Honourable Justice B.A. Njemanze Published by High Court of Justice Imo State ISBN.
- Emelonye, U., 2013. Assessing Proportionality and Best Interest Principles in the 2003 Child Rights Act. ) Law, Social Justice and Development. A Festschrift for Professor Uba Nnabue. by Imo State University Press.
- Emelonye, U., 2011. Crises and Conflict in Nigeria. In: Emelonye, U., ed. Peace Building Through Integration and Citizenship.. International Development Law Organisation.
- Emelonye, U., 2011. Constitutional Developments and Legal Frameworks in Nigeria. Peace Building Through Integration and Citizenship.. International Decelopment Law Organisation.
- Emelonye, U., 2003. Political Finance in Nigeria: A Policy Agenda for Reform. Political Finance in Nigeria: A Policy Agenda for Reform. CLASA.
Theses
- Emelonye, U., 2014. Proportionality and Best Interests: Calibrating the Twin Pillars of Child Justice in Nigeria.
Others
- Emelonye, U., 2021. Non-Governmental Appraisal of the Frameworks for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Nigeria. Published.
- Emelonye, U., 2021. Overview of Nigeria’s 2nd Universal Periodic Review National Report. Published.
- Emelonye, U., 2021. Implementation of International Human Rights Obligations in Nigeria: Civil Society Perspective. Published.
Journal Reviewing/Refereeing
- United Nations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Publication Series, 31 Aug 2022
- National Open University Law Journal, Anonymous peer review, 03 May 2021
- Journal of African Law. School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London, 01 Sep 2015