Dr Michael Addo

Law school academic appointed to prestigious United Nations expert body

Dr Michael Addo from the University of Exeter Law School has accepted a position advising the United Nations on human rights.

Dr Addo has been appointed to a five-member United Nations (UN) expert body – the Working Group on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises. 

This will involve assisting national authorities and businesses on effective ways of realising the objectives of the United Nation’s Guiding Principles, promoting and sharing standards of good practice and ensuring access to support for victims whose human rights have been adversely impacted by business activities.

Dr Addo commented “This appointment provides an excellent opportunity for me to contribute directly to international and national policy-making concerning human rights and business as well as opening up invaluable opportunities for creative partnerships and collaboration with leading academic and non-academic actors in the field. In addition, the first hand lessons from participating on the Working Group will inform the originality of my research and teaching. This is particularly exciting because the subject of human rights and business has been one of my most rewarding areas of research and teaching interests.

Professor Charlotte Waelde, Head of the Law School added “I am delighted that Michael’s work has been acknowledged by the UN which will significantly widen the scope of his activities in this area. We feel extremely fortunate to have a human rights expert of Michael’s standing here at the Law School.”

Date: 10 February 2012