Our team

Stephen is an experienced international lawyer and humanitarian protection specialist who has been leading the Centre since 2017. His expertise includes supporting the strategic application of IHL within humanitarian operations. He has served as Senior Legal Associate at Harvard University and as Legal Officer for the UN. He has produced publications on fact-finding, investigations and standards of proof. 

Anna has worked for the IHL Centre since 2019 and is located at our Head Office in Stockholm. Her background is in advocacy, having worked with campaign management and project management for Diakonia's Sweden Program. She holds a Degree in Gender Studies from Stockholm University. 

Alice is an international lawyer who has been working on the law of armed conflict for over ten years; she has particular expertise in the inclusive application of IHL. Previous roles include serving as a senior researcher at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, before joining the OHCHR as a human rights adviser on COVID response and recovery.

Marina is an expert in international humanitarian law and human rights. She holds an LL.M. in IHL from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights where she also led a project on improving compliance with humanitarian norms by armed non-state actors. She has worked for several INGOs including the Diakonia IHL Centre in Jerusalem, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the OSCE-ODHIR Ukraine Monitoring Initiative.   

Chiara's areas of expertise include international humanitarian law, use of force, and international criminal law. She is the author of the book Intervention in Civil Wars: Effectiveness, Legitimacy, and Human Rights (Hart Publishing, 2021). Before joining Diakonia, she was Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. She has also worked with UNHCR in Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Beijing (China).

Karin is an experienced project assistant based in Stockholm, Sweden. She holds a degree in Human Rights and has previously worked on several projects and advocacy campaigns to promote indigenous rights in local and international contexts, with a special focus on EU affairs and advocacy. Her previous experience working with NGOs and civil society organisations has created a solid knowledge of multi-stakeholder collaboration and local capacity building. She has a special interest in communications and gender equality.

Joshua’s expertise spans scholarship, advocacy, teaching, and practice in international humanitarian law, human rights, and international criminal law, in East Africa, Central Europe and North America. He has experience working in international non-governmental organisations including, Human Rights Watch, and the ICRC, as well as in the United Nations system, notably, in the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Human Rights Committee. He holds a PhD in International Law (magna cum laude) from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, as well as an LLM in IHL and human rights from the Geneva Academy of IHL and Human Rights.

Myra is a member of the Beirut Bar Association and has experience working with international organisations such as the UN, the ICRC and currently Diakonia. She previously managed programs related to access to justice and the rule of law. She is specialised in international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international criminal law.

Yousef holds a Master of Laws in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law, a Master of Arts in Literature, and a diploma in Educational Sciences. He has supported human rights organizations on international law. He has led teams of legal experts working on niche legal issues, and in humanitarian engagement with armed non-State groups in the MENA region.

Rim holds a Masters of Public Law from La Sagesse University. She is a human rights legal defender that has worked with several international organisations such as War Child Holland, Oxfam and Care, as well as with Lebanese NGO's like FEMALE, especially in the field of Project Monitoring and Evaluation.

Jean de Dieu holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in International Law from the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom, and a Master's Degree in International Law from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Prior to joining the Regional IHL Center, he served in various legal advisory roles, among others at the United Nations in Haiti and at the Supreme Court of Rwanda.

Aminata holds a Master’s Degree in Peacekeeping, a Master’s Degree in Business Management and a Diploma in Corporate Law. Her expertise is related, among others, to international humanitarian law, child protection and sexual violence related to armed conflicts. In the past, she has worked with the civil society in Mali as well as for Non-Governmental Organisations.

Former recipient of a Doctoral Grant at the Hague Academy of International Law, Kalilou Sidibé holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Public Law. Previously, he has lectured at the Law and Political Science University in Bamako, Mali.