Brenda Akia Elected into UN CEDAW Committee

I join the rest of the women in Uganda and Africa at large for electing Akia Brenda (African Union and Uganda candidate) to the  Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee. I had the opportunity to listen Brenda pitch her candidature the UN Human Rights Gender and Governance Technical Working Group in Uganda in March a 2022 and was very impressed. Her victory did not really surprise me but excited me.

Ugandan human rights activist, Brenda Akia (36 years old) a lawyer by background; has been elected to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Akia’s victory makes her the first ever Ugandan on the 12-member committee. In the elections held on 23 June 2022 in New York, Akia emerged second out of 23 candidates with 139 votes. Her 3 year term of office will begin from 2023 to 2026. Commenting on her victory, she thanked CEDAW member states and Uganda’s permanent representative to the UN, Adonia Ayebare, for electing and supporting her respectively.

“I am thankful to CEDAW member states for electing me as Uganda’s first candidate to the UN CEDAW committee. The real work begins to advance the respect of women’s rights and promote gender equality.” Akia said.

The 12 countries that won are:  Nigeria, Cuba, Uganda, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Israel, Spain, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Japan.

Looking at Brenda’s biography, I have no dought that she is the right candidate for this position. Her role as a Legal, Policy & Advocacy Advisor on Women & Girls Rights with the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Uganda). In this position, she leads and manages women and girls’ rights projects and international, regional, and national advocacy, monitoring and documenting human rights violations against women and girls in Uganda and in the region; monitoring Uganda’s compliance with international and regional women’s rights instruments ratified by Uganda; and providing legal and policy advice to senior FIDA Uganda management.

Brenda is currently PhD Research Candidate on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She has a LL.M. Degree from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany in cooperation with the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; an LL.B from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center, Kampala, Uganda. Also enrolled as an advocate of the High Court of Uganda and all Courts Subordinate

Adopted in 1979 by the UN general assembly, CEDAW is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of action on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women around the world. It helps women around the world to bring about change in their daily lives by opposing all kinds of discrimination, which include violence, poverty, and lack of legal protections, along with the denial of inheritance, property rights, and access to credit.

Lets celebrate with Brenda. Together we win