Hon. Zainabo Sylvie Kayitesi
Born on 27 May 1962, Rwandan, married, Law graduate of National University of Rwanda (now University of Rwanda (UR) and of Masters in International Criminal Justice and Law of Human Rights (UR).
She is the Vice-President and Judge of the Supreme Court of Rwanda since December 2011 up to now.
She is a Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Chairperson of the Working Group on Death Penalty, Extrajudicial, Summary, arbitrary Killings, and disappearance in Africa since 2007, and Chairperson of the working Group on specifics issues of the Commission, member of the Working Group on Communications and of the Working Group on elder and disabled persons.
She is a Commissioner of International Commission against Death Penalty (ICDP) since October 2015 up to now.
Mrs KAYITESI was Minister of Public Service and Labour, after serving as Minister of State at the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Environment (March 1999 – November 2002).
She is the Former Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (2013-2015) and Former Vice-Chairperson of the Commission (2011-2013). As a Member of the Commission, she has also served as Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, and Chairperson of the Working Group on Communications. She served as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights of Rwanda (2003-2011).
In the latter capacity, she served as the Chairperson of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions and Member of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights for two years, ViceChairperson of the Francophone Association of National Human Rights Institutions, and Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC) Forum of National Human Rights Institutions. Mrs KAYITESI worked with UNHCR–Rwanda as Associate Protection Officer, NOB (1996- 1999).
She worked with the Women’s Association for the Protection of the Rights of Women and Children HAGURUKA (1995-1999), where she served as President and Vice-President of Pro-Femmes (an Umbrella of more of 30 Associations for the promotion of women rights).
