Profiles

Maryanne Nkechi Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam is a human rights’ expert with years of experience in gender, social inclusion and development works. She worked as a Legal Officer/Program Assistant and subsequently became a Program Officer at Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) where she heads different projects simultaneously. She has presented papers on gender issues; rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS and facilitated several meetings. She has provided technical assistance on mainstreaming gender issues into various development programmes, policy dialogue and analysis, criminal justice system, capacity development, civil society engagement and program management. She is an excellent advocate on reproductive health and rights, gender laws and policies, gender and corruption, experienced in grassroots mobilization and project execution across the regions of Nigeria.
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She has done a lot of research, and edited several research publications on access to justice, gender, governance, human rights and development. She took part in the drafting of a Training Manual on Gender Based Violence, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Women in Conflict Zones and Gender Budgeting. She took part in preparing the first draft of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law of Ogun State. She has supported access to justice for women through the Legal Clinic Services and actively took part in the justice process of the Obafemi Awolowo University sex for mark scandals which led to the conviction of the erring Professor. She is presently the Founder and Executive Director of the Initiative for Women and Girls Right Advancement (IWOGRA).
Her passion is to drive an inclusive development agenda for women and girls by working with both the demand and supply sides’ actors to provide technical assistance for women and girls’ inclusion in all development programs/projects. She holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from Anambra State University, Barrister at Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School and Masters of Law (LLM) in Sexual and Reproductive Health in Africa from University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Grace Ketefe, is an experienced Fellow with a demonstrated history of working in the international affairs industry. She is skilled in nonprofit organizations, policy analysis, research, fundraising, and human rights. She is presently the Executive Director of the Cece Yara Foundation. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Director with the Cece Yara Foundation and was responsible for coordinating the foundation’s project development and programs. Her role involves monitoring program activities, supporting the development and implementation of the Foundation’s Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Framework.

She worked as the Director, Gender and Legal Aid with Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) Nigeria, coordinating the women access to justice and the women and peace building projects. Her work involved providing legal counsel and pro bono services for women and girl who have suffered human rights abuses. Prior to her work with WARDC, Grace was State Counsel for the Osun State Ministry of Justice. She holds an LL.B from Obafemi Awolowo University. She was called to the Nigeria Bar in 2000. She is a Fellow with PILnet Global Network for Public Interest, New York and an Alumni of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).