The United Nations Human Rights Council has appointed a Prof of Energy Law, Damilola Olawuyi, SAN, to serve as an independent expert on the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.
Olawuyi was appointed Africa’s representative on the UN body, at the just-concluded 50th Regular Session of the Council, established in 2011 through UN Resolution 17/4.
Olawuyi, who is also the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, was named by the Council’s President, Ambassador Federico Villegas.
The don will thus begin a six-year mandate as Africa’s representative on the prestigious body, a position most recently occupied by former Attorney-General of Kenya, Mr. Githu Muigai.
The working group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, also referred to as the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, comprises five accomplished independent experts drawn from different world regions.
Olawuyi, 38, is one of the youngest mandate holders ever appointed by the UN.
Speaking on his appointment, he said “It is an absolute privilege and honour to have been appointed by the United Nations to serve on this important Working Group.
”Our working group has the key mandate of assisting business enterprises in implementing this obligation, while also working with national authorities to develop national legislation, action plans and safeguards to hold defaulting entities to account.”
He also thanked the President of the UN Human Rights Council for the confidence reposed in him and look forward to working with other members of the Working Group to advance the important work of deepening a culture of human rights in business activities and investments worldwide.