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Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition 2025

Report on the Conclusion of the 17th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot

The 17th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition concluded at the European seat of the United Nations, the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18 July 2025 — Nelson Mandela International Day. The date marked 107 years since the birth of the iconic human rights champion whose name the Competition proudly bears.

Midlands State University of Zimbabwe took first place, with the team represented by Michelle Tanatsirwa Patricia Chiwanga and Watson Tonderai. The runners-up were Universidad Nacional de Colombia at Bogotá, represented by Emily Pedraza Ochoa and John Santiago Cifuentes Rincón. The other two semi-finalists were the University of Santo Tomas (Philippines), represented by Joelle Joie Cruz and Exelcis Bernal, and Symbiosis Law School NOIDA — Symbiosis International University, represented by Shashank Bhatt and Archisha Dhar. With all four semi-final teams drawn from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the Competition demonstrated its truly global reach.

The final was judged by an eminent panel of international legal experts: Judge Veronica Gomez, President of the Global Campus of Human Rights and Judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; Judge Ivana Jelic, Judge for Montenegro at the European Court of Human Rights and Vice President of the Court; Judge Thompson Chengeta, Professor at Liverpool John Moores University, a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Body on Disarmament Matters and a Legal Expert and Advisor for the International Committee for Robot Arms Control; Professor Manfred Novak, former UN Special Rapporteur and Secretary-General of the Global Campus of Human Rights; Judge Simon Walker, currently serving as Chief, Rule of Law and Democracy Section, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Mr Yashasvi Nain, an international human rights lawyer serving as Human Rights Advisor at the Permanent Delegation of the Commonwealth to the United Nations in Geneva.

What follows is a summary of key highlights from the Competition.

Preliminary (virtual) rounds

The 50 teams with the highest scores in the written memorial stage competed in virtual rounds from 14 to 21 May 2025. Participants faced not only tough legal arguments but the added challenges of different time zones and connectivity issues. Judges dialled in from around the world, and their commitment was invaluable. The quality of advocacy was widely regarded as outstanding — a reflection of how thoroughly the students had prepared. From this group, 24 teams earned their places at the in-person rounds in Geneva.

The following universities were among the top 10 teams for the preliminary (virtual) rounds:

  1. Universidad Nacional de Colombia at Bogotá (Columbia)
  2. NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad (India)
  3. Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (Guatemala)
  4. Kabarak University (Kenya)
  5. Symbiosis International University (NOIDA India)
  6. Kenyatta University (Kenya)
  7. Strathmore University (Kenya)
  8. Midlands State University (Zimbabwe)
  9. University of Santo Tomas (Philippines)
  10. Universidade de São Paulo, (Brazil)

The top English oralists in the preliminary (virtual) rounds were as follows:

  1. Deepanksha, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad,
  2. William Foxton, University of Oxford,
  3. Pracheta Waikar, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad,
  4. Esther-Blessing Nasimiyu, Kabarak University,
  5. Joelle Joie Cruz, University of Santo Tomas,
  6. Shashank Bhatt, Symbiosis International University (NOIDA),
  7. Watson Tonderai, Midlands State University,
  8. Jalody Jebet Toroitich, Kenyatta University,
  9. Archisha Dhar, Symbiosis International University (NOIDA),
  10. Jaynerose Ochieng, Strathmore University,

The top Spanish-language oralists in the preliminary (virtual) rounds were as follows:

  1. Pedraza Emily, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
  2. John Santiago Cifuentes Rincón, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
  3. Carla Lourdes Castillo Rodríguez, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
  4. Luis Gerardo Román Gudiel, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala

Advanced rounds in Geneva

 

Of the 24 qualifying teams, three were sadly unable to travel to Geneva: Granada University due to a lack of funding, and Great Zimbabwe University and Kenyatta University, both of which could not secure visa appointments in time.

The competition was officially opened by the address of Ambassador Jürg Lauber in his capacity as President of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Ambassador Lauber spoke of President Mandela’s enduring spirit and his strong personal support for the Moot as a platform for human rights advocacy. Over Monday and Tuesday, four courtrooms ran simultaneously, with each team arguing once as the applicant and once as the respondent. The top eight teams then advanced to a seeded quarter-final round on Wednesday:

  1. University of Santo Tomas
  2. NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
  3. Midlands State University
  4. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá
  5. Symbiosis International University (NOIDA)
  6. Strathmore University
  7. University of Buenos Aires
  8. St Thomas University

 

Nelson Mandela Lecture

The sixth Nelson Mandela Lecture was held on the evening of 16 July at the Maison de la Paix, exploring the theme The Role of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the Context of Migration and Forced Displacement’. The main speaker, Dr Graeme Reid, drew on his research into the human rights situations facing LGBTQ+ people who are fleeing their home countries. He highlighted how their experiences of displacement are distinct from those of other refugees: unlike people displaced by war or natural disaster, LGBTQ+ individuals often face persecution specifically because of who they are — making them particularly vulnerable when seeking safety abroad.

Miss Sheryl Kunaka a fellow of the Clooney Foundation for Justice: Waging Justice for Women Fellow was the first respondent. She spoke about the heightened risks faced by women on the move — including gender-based violence, exploitation, and barriers to healthcare — and how these are further compounded for LGBTQ+ women seeking refugee status. Focusing on South Africa, she noted that while the country has strong legal protections on paper, their application in practice remains inconsistent. Asylum seekers are too often subjected to stereotyping and personal bias during credibility assessments, leading to legitimate claims being dismissed.

The second respondent, Mr Brian Penduka, a law lecturer from the University of Buckingham, closed the lecture by putting the issue into broader context. He noted that over 304 million people currently live outside their country of birth, and more than 83 million are internally displaced — a number comparable to the entire population of North America. He also pointed to the rise of right-wing governments across Europe and other traditional host countries, which are increasingly adopting hostile and exclusionary immigration policies.

Ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi, who heads the South African Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, delivered the closing remarks. He drew on South Africa’s painful past to underscore the enduring effects of racial and gender inequality, and reminded the audience that good governance and respect for human rights are not a final destination but an ongoing journey. He pointed to the positive steps South Africa has taken in recognising the rights of sexual minorities, while calling on everyone present to play an active role in protecting those rights — just as Madiba did. The evening ended with a cocktail reception at which the four semi-final teams were announced.

The 17th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Competition would not have been possible without the generous support of the European Union through the Global Campus of Human Rights, the Swiss Confederation, United Nations Human Rights Council Branch (HRCB) at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) the Geneva Human Rights Platform, the Lucerne Academy for Human Rights Implementation, and the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, American University, Washington D.C.

We also gratefully acknowledge the support of the South African Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

Nelson Mandela World Moot Impact assessment

Over 17 years, the Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Competition has touched the lives of hundreds of students and alumni, many of whom have gone on to make meaningful contributions to the field of human rights. Here are just a few of their stories:

  • Ms Juliana Mota and Leticia Heartel won the 2015 Moot. Ms Heartel now serves as an assistant to International Law Commissioner Prof Galindo, and she volunteered as a judge at the 16th edition in Geneva. She also played a key role in securing the main speaker for this year’s Lecture, Ms Patricia Galvao Teles, and has published a research article based on arguments she first developed at the Moot.
  • Ms Julia Ries participated in the 2020 Moot. During one of her rounds, she was asked a question on hate speech law by Dr Kapapelo, the Competition’s former coordinator — a question she could not answer at the time. Rather than letting it go, she researched the topic thoroughly afterwards, wrote her undergraduate thesis on it, and is now pursuing a master’s degree on the same subject at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
  • Many past participants give back by returning as judges, helping to mentor the next generation. Ms Baruana Calado is one such example. Based in Brazil, she has helped assess memorials and served as a judge in both online and in-person rounds. During the 16th edition’s online rounds, she was adjudicating at 3am — before a full working day — because the sessions ran on South African Standard Time. Her dedication speaks for itself.
  • Finally, Mr Rodrigo Tadeu’s story captures the spirit of what the Moot stands for. In 2013/2014, he worked as a researcher supporting the team from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, which reached the finals that year. He could not afford to travel for the in-person rounds. Years later, now based in Rome, he gives back to the Competition by serving as a judge — both online and in person.

These are just a few of many such stories. Together, they speak to the Competition’s lasting impact — not only in building legal skills, but in fostering a generation of human rights advocates who continue to pay it forward. We are currently compiling a fuller collection of alumni testimonials to be shared on our website.