MK254
JF-Expert Member
- May 11, 2013
- 32,408
- 50,809
What you need to know:
- Ms Alice Nderitu has been appointed as the United Nations (UN) Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres described Ms Nderitu as "a recognised voice in the field of peace building and violence prevention.
- She takes over from Mr Adama Dieng, a Senegalese jurist, who assumed the role in 2012.
In making the announcement on November 10, posted on the UN's website, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described Ms Nderitu as "a recognised voice in the field of peace building and violence prevention, having led as mediator and senior adviser in reconciliation processes among communities in her country, Kenya, as well as in other African settings."
She takes over from Mr Adama Dieng, a Senegalese jurist, who assumed the role in 2012. Mr Guterres praised him for a manifestation of dedicated leadership and achievements.
Ms Nderitu, founder of Community Voices for Peace and Pluralism, a network of African women professionals preventing, transforming and solving violent, ethnic, racial and religious conflicts globally, has more than 12 years of experience in conflict prevention and peace building.
Women in conflict
Since 2018, she has been a member of African Union’s Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation (FemWise-Africa), officially launched in July, 2017.FemWise-Africa is mandated with ensuring a channel for women’s meaningful and effective participation in peace processes, including as heads of official high-level mediation missions.
The network is also bestowed with role of initiating women’s action that catalyses and mainstreams the engagement of women in mediation in line with the African Union’s, Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She is also a founding member and co-chair of Uwiano Platform for Peace, a national conflict prevention strategy established in 2010.
Previous appointments
The platform enhances collaboration between peace actors in the country, guided by its clarion call ‘Choose Kenya, Choose Peace,’ (Chagua Kenya, Chagua Amani).Since January 2013, she has served as a member of Kenya National Committee on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and all Forms of Discrimination.
Among her other previous appointments include Commissioner of National Cohesion and Integration Commission in Kenya (2009-2013) and Commissioner, Presidential Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Petition to Suspend Makueni County (2017) and board member, Life and Peace Institute.
Ms Nderitu who holds a Master of Armed Conflict and Peace Studies (2013) has researched, authored and co-authored books, studies and manuals on conflict prevention, peace building and human rights; one of them Kenya: Bridging Ethnic Divides, A Commissioner’s experience on Cohesion and Integration(2018).
Alice Nderitu appointed UN Special Adviser on genocide prevention
UN Secretary-General describes Ms Nderitu as "a recognised voice in the field of peace building and violence prevention