Academic Circle

In March 2024, the Special Rapporteur established an Academic Circle on the right to development (Academic Circle) comprising a small group of scholars from all world regions working on a variety of issues concerning the right to development. Members of the Academic Circle collaborate with the Special Rapporteur in their personal academic capacity to promote the realisation of the mandate goals, including by conducting research, organising workshops, participating in consultations, and disseminating recommendations.

The Academic Circle is Co-Chaired by Professor Daniel Bradlow and Professor Celine Tan. The current term of all Academic Circle members, including Co-Chairs, is until the end of April 2026.

Terms of Reference

The Academic Circle offers support to the Special Rapporteur in several ways, including the following:

1. Provide advice and suggestions to the Special Rapporteur on issues (including thematic priorities) related to his mandate provided by the UN Human Rights Council;
2. Participate in consultations, workshops or virtual meetings organised by the Special Rapporteur and/or make submissions to inform his reports and policy briefs;
3. Disseminate, and promote the implementation of, key recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur;
4. Conduct research on issues relevant to the mandate identified by the Special Rapporteur;
5. Provide comments on draft reports or policy briefs in a confidential manner and identify other experts in specific areas related to the mandate.

Composition

Co-Chairs:

Daniel Bradlow, Professor, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Celine Tan, Professor, Warwick Law School, University of Warwick, UK

Members

Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, Researcher, National Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina, National University of Río Negro, Argentina

Barnali Choudhury, Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Canada

Luis Eslava, La Trobe Law School, La Trobe University, Australia

Natasha Khan, Lecturer, University of the South Pacific, Fiji

Homi Kharas, Senior Fellow, Center for Sustainable Development, Brookings Institution, USA

Jolene Lin, Associate Professor, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Allison Lindner, Lecturer, Faculty of Laws, University College London, UK

Rosemary Lyster, Professor, Sydney Law Schol, University of Sydney, Australia

Roger Merino, Associate Professor, Universidad del Pacífico, Peru

Johanna Del Pilar Cortes Nieto, Associate Professor, Universidad del Rosario, Columbia

Ohiocheoya Omiunu, Reader, University of Kent Law School, UK

Nicolas Perrone, Professor, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile

Michael Sachs, Adjunct Professor, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Malvika Seth, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School, OP Jindal Global University, India

Cynthia Nona Tamale, Assistant Lecturer, School of Law, Makerere University, Uganda     

Gamze Erdem Turkelli, Assistant Research Professor, University of Antwerp, Belgium

Elisa Van Waeyenberge, Professor, SOAS, University of London, UK