Dr Gumedze joins the Centre with an exceptional record of leadership in research management, policy development, institutional governance, and international human rights advocacy. His appointment marks an important moment in strengthening the Centre’s strategic direction and expanding its impact across Africa and globally.
He holds a Doctor of Social Sciences (International Law) and a Licentiate in Social Sciences (International Law) from Åbo Akademi University, Finland, as well as an LL.M. in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa from the University of Pretoria.
Dr Gumedze previously served as Executive Head of the Africa Institute of South Africa at the Human Sciences Research Council, where he led strategic research programmes focused on governance and development on the continent. He also held the position of Head of Research and Development at the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, contributing to policy innovation and regulatory reform within the private security sector.
Earlier in his career, he was a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies and has held academic appointments at several South African universities. His professional journey reflects a strong commitment to rigorous scholarship, institutional excellence, and public service.
An internationally recognised expert in international law, human rights, and security governance, Dr Gumedze has published extensively on the African human rights system, private security regulation, peace and security, and the responsibility to protect.
He has also served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, contributing to global efforts to advance racial justice and the rights of people of African descent.
As Assistant Director (Operations), Dr Gumedze supports the Centre’s strategic leadership, project development, partnership building, and teaching. His experience and vision strengthens the Centre’s mission to promote human rights through research, education, and advocacy in Africa and beyond.
Lassané Ouedraogo | Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
LLB in Public Law (Université Nazi Boni, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso); LLM in International Public Law (Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
Lassané Ouedraogo is the Acting Coordinator of the LLM in International Trade and Investment Law in Africa (TILA) at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. He is also pursuing an LLD at the university’s Faculty of Law, under the NRF SARChI Chair for International Constitutional Law. Lassané holds an LLB from the Université Nazi Boni and an LLM in International Public Law from the Université Thomas Sankara, both in Burkina Faso. He also earned an LLM in International Trade and Investment Law in Africa from the University of Pretoria. His academic and professional interests include International Public Law, International Environmental Law, Trade and Investment, and Business and Human Rights. Professors Magnus Kilander and Sâ Benjamin Traoré supervise his doctoral research. It focuses on examining the climate change responsibilities of transnational corporations.
Tel: +27 (0)12 420 5296
lassane.ouedraogo@up.ac.za
Nomusa Nkwanyana
MA (International Relations) / MA (IR) – University of Witwatersrand
Nomusa Nkwanyana is a Programme Associate within the Democracy and Civic Engagement Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. In this role, she contributes to strengthening democratic participation, civic engagement, and constitutional literacy across Africa, with a focus on enhancing the participation of civil society and citizens in key continental governance mechanisms, such as the Pan-African Parliament and the African Peer Review Mechanism.
Nomusa holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand. Her professional experience spans academia, trade unions, research, policy-making, and advocacy, with a strong track record of working in sectors including energy, agriculture, informal economies, and labour rights. She has collaborated with leading consultancy firms both locally and globally, focusing on social impact, community needs assessments, and strategies for advancing human rights and labour protections.
Her work is underpinned by a deep commitment to justice, equity, feminism, and the decolonial project. She is particularly passionate about amplifying the voices of women, young people, and marginalized communities within governance structures and policy-making spaces. Across her engagements in South Africa and the broader Southern African region, Nomusa has contributed to initiatives that promote inclusive development, worker rights, and meaningful civic participation.
Nomusa brings to her work a nuanced understanding of the intersections between governance, social justice, and economic development in Africa, as well as a dedication to fostering participatory and accountable institutions rooted in the lived realities of the continent’s people.
Palesa Mogosetso | Junior Project Officer, Children’s Rights Unit
BA LAW(UP), LLB (UP)
Palesa Mogosetso is a dedicated legal professional with a passion for human rights, particularly the rights of women and children. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Criminology (BA Law) and an LLB degree from the University of Pretoria. She is currently pursuing a Master of Laws (LLM) in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Africa at the Centre for Human Rights.
Palesa serves as a Junior Project Officer within the Centre’s Children’s Rights Unit, where she contributes to advancing the rights and welfare of children across the continent. Her academic background and practical experience have shaped her commitment to using the law as a tool for social justice, focusing on issues such as child protection, gender equality, and access to sexual and reproductive health rights.
