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Alice Wairimu Nderitu

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Alice Wairimu Nderitu
Nderitu in a 2022 interview with the United States Institute of Peace
Born (1968-01-09) 9 January 1968 (age 56)
Nairobi, Kenya
NationalityKenyan
Alma materUniversity of Nairobi (B.A. and Master's)
Occupation(s)Conflict researcher and mediator
Known forUnited Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide
Awards

Alice Wairimu Nderitu (born 9 January 1968 in Nairobi, Kenya)[2] is a Kenyan national serving since November 2020 as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.[3][4]

Early life and education

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Nderitu was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to Vincent Nyingi Nderitu and Edith Mweru.[5][1] She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Philosophy (1990) and a Master's degree in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies (2013) from the University of Nairobi, and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Keene State College.[6] She is studying for a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in African Women Studies at the University of Nairobi.[7]

Career

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1992–2009

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From 1992 to 1999, Nderitu was Researcher and Administrator of the Kenya Prisons Service within the Kenya Ministry of Home Affairs.[7]

From 1999 to 2007, she headed the human rights education department (the Human Rights Education and Capacity-Building Programme) of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (earlier, known as the Kenya Standing Committee on Human Rights).[8][7]

From 2007 to 2009, Nderitu served as Director of Education for Social Justice at the non-profit human rights organization Fahamu.[7]

2009–present

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Nderitu, meeting with Brazil Rio de Janeiro Governor Thiago Pampolha and Prosecutor-General Bruno Dubeux (2023).

From 2009 to 2013, Nderitu served as a Commissioner of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission in Kenya, established to mediate religious, ethnic, and race-related conflicts, counter hate speech, and promote peaceful coexistence.[8][9] She helped mediate between ten ethnic communities to prevent a repeat of the country’s 2007-08 election violence that had included an estimated 1,500 deaths, 3,000 rapes, and 650,000 displaced residents. [10] In her role as Commissioner she was one of the founders and first Co-Chair of Uwiano Platform for Peace, a conflict-prevention agency founded in 2010 that uses mobile technology to encourage citizens to report indicators of violence, linking early warning to early response.[8]

Starting in 2013, Nderitu served as a member of the Kenya National Committee on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and all Forms of Discrimination.[6] She also served as an Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities instructor.[11]

She has contributed in defining the role of women mediators, as a signatory and mediator to peace agreements in armed conflicts.[12][13] Nderitu has also been an advocate of women inclusion in various international forums.[14]

Nderitu led the mediation process that led to the 2012 peace agreement signed by 10 ethnic communities in Nakuru, Kenya.[8] For 16 months, she led the crafting the peace process with 100 elders and three mediators.[8]

She then was also the lead mediator in a peace process in Kaduna State, Nigeria.[8] It led to the signing of the 2016 Kafanchan Peace Declaration by 29 ethnic communities.[8]

Nderitu was the lead mediator in a peace process in Southern Plateau, Nigeria.[8] It led to 56 ethnic communities signing the Southern Plateau Inter-Communal Peace Declaration in 2017.[10][8] She said that the locals would take photos of her "in awe, because they could not imagine that women had the wisdom and the capacity to mediate conflict."[15]

Nderitu served as a Commissioner of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the dissolution of the Makueni County government in Kenya.[16][17]

In 2020, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Nderitu the UN's Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, succeeding Adama Dieng of Senegal.[7] The Secretary-General described her as a "recognized voice in the field of peacebuilding and violence prevention" due to her conflict-resolution efforts.[7]

The Wall Street Journal reported that Nderitu lost her job as the UN's Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide due to her stance that Israel's war against Hamas does not qualify as genocide since Israel's intent is to dismantle a terrorist regime and Israel goes to great lengths to prevent civilian deaths.[18]

Organizations

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Nderitu has served as a member of the African Union's Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation (Fem-Wise), the Women Waging Peace Network, the Concerned Citizens for Peace (a group of Elders facilitating peace between African leaders), and the Global Alliance of Women Mediators.[19][8] She is also the founder of the Community Voices for Peace and Pluralism, a network of African women professionals preventing and transforming conflicts worldwide.[8] She was also a Commonwealth Exchange Fellow at the South African Human Rights Commission.[8]

Recognition

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Publications

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  • Wairimu Nderitu, Mukami Kimathi – Mau Mau Woman Freedom Fighter[25][26][27][28][29][30][31]
  • Anass Bendrif, Sahira al Karaguly, Mohammadi Laghzaoui, Esmah Lahlah, Maeve Moynihan, Alice Nderitũ, Joelle Rizk, and Maytham Al Zubaidi (2009). An introduction to human rights in the Middle East and North Africa- a guide for NGOs.[32]
  • Alice Nderitũ and Jacqueline O'Neill (2013). "7 myths standing in the way of women's inclusion". Inclusive Security.[33]
  • Alice Wairimũ Nderitũ (2014). The Nakuru County peace accord (2010-2012).[34]
  • Alice Wairimũ Nderitũ (2016). African Peace Building: Civil Society Roles in Conflict. In Pamela Aall and Chester A. Crocker (eds). Minding the Gap: African Conflict Management in a Time of Change (2016).[35]
  • Alice Wairimũ Nderitũ (2016). Catherine Ndereba: The Authorised Biography of a Marathon World Record holder [36]
  • Alice Wairimũ Nderitũ (2018). Beyond Ethnicism: Exploring Ethnic and Racial Diversity for Educators. Mdahalo Bridging Divides Limited.[37]
  • Alice Wairimũ Nderitũ (2018). Kenya: Bridging Ethnic Divides, A Commissioner’s Experience on Cohesion and Integration. Mdahalo Bridging Divides Limited.[38]
  • Swanee Hunt and Alice Wairimũ Nderitũ. (2018). WPS as a political movement. In Sara E. Davies & Jacqui True (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Women, Peace, and Security. New York: Oxford University Press.[39]
  • Alice Wairimu Nderitu. Conflict Transformation and Human Rights: A Mutual Stalemate ? [40]

In addition, Nderitu is a columnist with The EastAfrican newspaper.[41]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Alice Wairimu Nderitu," Avance Media.
  2. ^ "Alice Wairimu Nderitu". Women in Peace. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Wairimu Nderitu chosen to be UN special adviser". The East African. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  4. ^ Michelle Nichols (February 5, 2021), U.N. official warns of high risk of atrocities in Ethiopia Reuters.
  5. ^ "A LEOPARD’S TAIL: The Life and Work of Alice Nderitu of Kenya," 2012 Women Peacemakers Program, the University of San Diego.
  6. ^ a b Secretary-General Appoints Alice Wairimu Nderitu of Kenya Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide United Nations, press release of November 10, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "AWSC PHD STUDENT Alice Wairimu Nderitu appointed UN Special Adviser on the prevention of genocide," The University of Nairobi African Women Studies Centre.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Alice Wairimu Nderitu," United Nations.
  9. ^ Ann Zaniewski (9 January 2023). "Talk will explore ties between racial injustice, genocide prevention," The University Record.
  10. ^ a b "Peace, Pluralism and Gender Equality with Alice Wairimu Nderitu (2017/18)," Simon Fraser University.
  11. ^ "AIPG congratulates Alice Wairimu Nderitu on her appointment as UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide | The Auschwitz Institute". www.auschwitzinstitute.org. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide". United Nations. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Author at African Arguments". African Arguments. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  14. ^ "How can Canada best support women in the field of conflict and atrocity prevention?" (PDF). sfu.ca. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  15. ^ "Kenyan woman wins award for peacemaking," The Nation.
  16. ^ "Uhuru names team to probe Makueni dissolution » Capital News". Capitalfm.co.uk. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  17. ^ "Uhuru names Commission of Inquiry for Makueni county row". Businessdailyafrica.com. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  18. ^ "UN firing Nderitu over refusal to classify Israeli conduct in Gaza as 'genocide,' WSJ argues". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Operationalisation of "FemWise-Africa"" (PDF). peaceau.org. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Connecting TRCs to global trends : Implications for policy and practice" (PDF). Ijr.org.za. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  21. ^ [1] [dead link‍]
  22. ^ "Alice Nderitu - Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation". Auschwitzinstitute.org. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  23. ^ "2017 Global Pluralism Award Finalists - Global Pluralism Award". Award.plutalism.ca. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  24. ^ "Peace, Pluralism and Gender Equality with Alice Wairimu Nderitu". sfu.ca/dialogue.html. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  25. ^ "Mukami Kimathi's story lends voice to women freedom fighters". Nation.co.ke. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  26. ^ Kareithi, Amos. "The Day Kimathi died: Recollections by his wife Mukami Kimathi". Standardmedia.co.ke. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  27. ^ Musau, Nzau. "Kimathi's widow reveals her role in Kenyatta and Odinga battles". Standardmedia.co.ke. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  28. ^ "Critical Role by Women in Kenya's Freedom Struggle Goes Unappreciated, Says First Lady - the Big Issue". Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  29. ^ "First lady Margaret Kenyatta joins MauMau veterans in celebrating the life of Mukami Kimathi". YouTube. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  30. ^ "Museum News : First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta unveils the memoir of Mukami Kimathi" (PDF). Museums.or.ke. March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  31. ^ "Kenya Celebrates its eminent women for the huge footprints they have left in the country's socio-political landscape - The Presidency". President.go.ke. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  32. ^ "An introduction to human rights in the Middle East and North Africa- a guide for NGOs" (PDF). Networklearning.org. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  33. ^ Nderitũ, Alice; Jacqueline O'Neill. "7 myths standing in the way of women's inclusion" (PDF). inclusivesecurity.org. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  34. ^ "From the Nakuru County peace accord (2010–2012)" (PDF). hdcentre.org. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  35. ^ Aall, Pamela; Crocker, Chester A. (18 March 2016). "Minding the Gap: African Conflict Management in a Time of Change". cigionline.org. ISBN 9781928096214. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  36. ^ Catherine Ndereba.
  37. ^ Nderitu, Alice Wairimu (14 December 2018). Beyond Ethnicism: Exploring Ethnic and Racial Diversity for Educators. Mdahalo Bridging Divides. ISBN 978-9966190307.
  38. ^ Kenya: Bridging Ethnic Divides, A Commissioner's Experience on Cohesion and Integration. Mdahalo Bridging Divides Limited. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2019 – via amazon.com.
  39. ^ "Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) as a political movement". umontreal.ca. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  40. ^ "Conflict Transformation and Human Rights: A Mutual Stalemate?"
  41. ^ "ALICE WAIRIMU NDERITU," The EastAfrican.
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