This acknowledgment is a reminder that the UN stands firm on universality and dignity for all," says Nayab In a landmark development, Nayab Ali, a renowned Pakistani human rights defender and policy expert, has been officially shortlisted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the position of UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders.
This acknowledgment is a reminder that the on universality and dignity for all. If appointed, I aim to strengthen protections for human rights defenders, especially from gender diverse communities, who face violence and exclusion worldwide she stated. The next stage of selection will be led by the Special Consultative Group comprising representatives from Malawi, the Republic of Korea, North Macedonia, Guatemala, and Teriyaki which will recommend candidates to the President of the Human Rights Council for final appointment during the 61st Session. Nayab currently serves as executive director of Transgender Rights Consultants Pakistan and a Global Human Rights Fellow at Harvard University’s Carr Center. She played a pivotal role in drafting the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, and has received seven international awards, including the Franco German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law (2020).