SPEAKERS
Professor Yinka Omorogbe - Nigeria
Prof. Omorogbe is an internationally recognised expert in energy law and a former Attorney General of Edo State, Nigeria, where she led the anti-human trafficking taskforce.
She previously served as Secretary and Legal Adviser to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and was Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ibadan.
A Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow, she co-founded the Edo Women’s Development Initiative and is a trustee of Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry and Vine Heritage Home orphanage.
Margaret Owen is a barrister specialising in women’s human rights. She has previously worked as an immigration and asylum lawyer, as head of the Law and Policy division of International Planned Parenthood Federation, and as a consultant to various UN organisations.
Following the death of her husband she became acutely aware of the plight of widows overseas, particularly in conflict and AIDS afflicted countries. She founded the first international organisations to address human rights issues in the context of widowhood, and is now the president of WPD, Widows for Peace through Democracy, which is the umbrella for many partner organisations across the world.
She is also a founder member of GAPS- UK (Gender Action on Peace and Security). She is a regular participant at the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and has been the consultant on widowhood to the UN.
Margaret Owen OBE - England
Guillaume Soto Mayor - Senegal
Guillaume Soto-Mayor, graduate from Oxford and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Strasbourg, is currently a research engineer in charge of leading the development of the security and defense research team of the CNAM. He is also Lecturer in several master’s degree schools (Sciences Po Paris, St Andrews, IEP Strasbourg, CNAM).
As an analyst and expert for the United Nations as for the former advisor to the General Commander of the French Elements in Senegal, he conducted, extensive field research on conflicts, instability, criminal and terrorist networks in West, Central and North Africa. Simultaneously, he conducts a large amount of sensitization and operational support work to local and international leaders on these issues.
His current research works focuses on the role of Mafias as geostrategic actors, on organized crime (human, migrants, drugs, weapons, drugs, environmental, etc.) and terrorist networks (operation, financing, etc.) in Africa and Europe, on radicalization and exit of violence, and finally the repository of radical proselytism. He has notably published a piece on Criminal Networks: the Forgotten Actors of International Politics in the International Journal on Criminology.
Founder, International Cocoa Diplomacy
HM Oba Dokun Thompson, one of the traditional kings in Nigeria and custodian of the oldest cocoa agroforestry in the country producing cocoa since 1896, with an engineering background who combines his Christian faith as well as his knowledge of social and political issues to chart a new course for the global cocoa industry through the International Cocoa Diplomacy with the main objective to bridge the gaps between cocoa producing regions and chocolate consuming nations for shared value and transformational purposes that will create prosperity and return farmers’ self-pride and dignity to encourage next generation cocoa farmers to achieving sustainability.
HM Oba Dokun Thompson - Nigeria
Inge Saris - Belgium
Inge Saris is the Director of Payoke, a Belgian organisation dedicated to combating human trafficking and supporting its victims.
With a background in psychology and criminology, she brings extensive experience in social justice and victim support. Inge is passionate about the Voice Over Project, an EU-funded initiative that trains former trafficking victims to become peer leaders and advocates.
In her presentation, Inge will share Payoke’s insights on implementing the Voice Over Project and how it empowers survivors to influence the systems and policies that affect their lives.
Co-Founder at Chiasma | Clinical Psychologist | Neuroscientist | Lecturer | Egregor
Born in Lebanon, Dr. Albert Moukheiber is a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist known for questioning conventional workplace norms. Why stick to a five-day workweek? Are weekends truly beneficial? After a decade at Paris’s Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, he co-founded Chiasma, where he and fellow neuroscientists explore how we form opinions and make decisions. When not teaching, consulting, or speaking at conferences, Dr. Moukheiber advocates for the value of doing nothing—until Welcome to the Jungle enlisted him to write about psychology and work.
His series tackles procrastination, success, and more, offering practical tools for staying ahead of your brain’s impulses.
Albert Moukheiber - France
Dr Esohe Aghatise - Italy and Nigeria
Dr Esohe Aghatise is a seasoned lawyer and executive with 25 years in human rights and non-profit management.
She specializes in legal consultancy, international negotiations, and cultural mediation, and is a certified ethno-clinical therapist. As the founder and Chief Executive of Associazione Iroko Onlus and a UN Expert on trafficking, she has a distinguished track record in supporting vulnerable populations and managing complex international projects.
Recognized by the US State Department for her fight against modern-day slavery, she also lectures at UNICRI and the Norwegian Police College.
Dr Sarah Steele is the Deputy Director of the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge, and a Senior Research Associate at the Cambridge Institute of Public Health.
She also leads courses on #MeToo and Global Health Law at the Australian National University College of Law. Her research, which intersects Law, Criminology, and Global Health, addresses issues like human trafficking and social media’s role in health.
With a background at institutions such as the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, Dr Steele is an expert in policy and public health analysis.
Dr Sarah Steele - England
Dr Sadiq Syed - India
Dr. Syed Sadiq has 20+ years with the UN, focusing on gender equality, human rights, and peace.
He’s held senior roles with UN Women, including Regional Program Manager for Ending Violence against Women and Girls and currently leads the UN Women Office in Somalia.
He has also worked with OHCHR and UNFPA globally and served on India’s National Commission for Women. Dr. Sadiq, who developed the ‘Coordinated Responses Approach (CRA) in Addressing GBV,’ holds an LL.M. in International Human Rights Law and a PhD in Women’s Rights Law.
Dr. Jocelynne Scutt is a prominent lawyer, academic, and advocate. She graduated in law from the University of Western Australia in 1969 and pursued postgraduate studies at leading universities in Australia, the US, and the UK.
Scutt has held roles with the Australian Institute of Criminology, served as Tasmania’s first Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, and was a judge on the Fiji High Court.
She is a senior fellow at the University of Buckingham, an active member of international women’s rights organizations, and was elected to Cambridgeshire County Council in 2013.
Scutt is also a writer, filmmaker, and publisher.
The Hon Dr Jocelynne A. scutt - England
Dr Ralph Adewoye FRIN - Nigeria
Dr Ralph Adewoye is a leading expert in Remote Sensing, holding a PhD from Friedrich Schiller University, Germany.
His expertise includes monitoring tropical ecosystems, climate change modelling, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration.
As the lead scientist at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, he heads the Remote Sensing of Tropical Ecosystems and Climate Change Modelling Team and has worked extensively on international environmental projects.
Dr. Maria Krambia-Kapardis is a Professor of Forensic Accounting and Associate Dean at the Cyprus University of Technology.
She founded Transparency International-Cyprus and the Economic Crime and Forensic Accounting Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus. Her research focuses on corruption, fraud prevention, and ethical leadership.
Dr. Krambia-Kapardis has received multiple awards, including the ACE Anti-Corruption Excellence Award in 2019.
She is also a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Dr Maria Kapardis - Cyprus
Smarita Sengupta - India
Smarita Sengupta is the co-founder of Destiny Foundation/Reflection, a social enterprise addressing human trafficking through sustainable business models. Initially working in the corporate sector, she found her passion in social entrepreneurship while gaining experience with an anti-trafficking organization.
Witnessing the challenges faced by survivors, particularly the lack of economic opportunities, inspired her to create a business that provides paid training, housing, and jobs to help survivors reintegrate safely.
Her venture’s ethical, eco-friendly products have gained a global market, reintegrated over 100 survivors and currently supporting 70 more.
Carlotta Giordani, a PhD candidate at IUAV University of Venice in territorial planning and public policies, holds degrees in European and Transnational Law from the University of Trento and a European master’s in human Rights and Democratisation.
Admitted to the Bar (Venice Court of Appeal), she has worked in Kosovo, Palestine, China, France, Belgium, and Italy with NGOs and European institutions as a legal consultant and project coordinator.
Since 2017, she has focused on monitoring rights violations in the Adriatic and Balkan regions and serves as a pro bono lawyer for grassroots organizations.
Carlotta Giordani - Italy
Manoj Guran - India
Manoj Guran is a passionate advocate dedicated to saving innocent children, the voiceless, and the oppressed from all forms of modern slavery, particularly human trafficking.
With an unwavering commitment to dismantling trafficking networks and empowering survivors, Manoj has led over 300 successful rescue operations, freeing more than 5,000 victims—many of whom were trapped in sex trafficking.
As a survivor leader, he believes in empowering others who have endured similar hardships. Manoj is also an expert trainer in covert and overt investigations related to human trafficking.
Ann is a human rights lawyer with a passion for forced migration studies. She has a Master of Law degree from the University of San Francisco and a master’s degree in Forced migration studies and refugee protection from the University of London.
Currently, advocating for immigrant victims/survivors of interpersonal violence and human trafficking in the U.S. with the Victims Empowerment Support Team (VEST).
I will look at the existing laws with provisions that address child trafficking, look at a few cases reported in the media, the gaps and challenges in prosecuting child trafficking cases, and recommendations.
Ann Kamunya - United States Of America
Meera Khanna - India
Meera Khanna is an Indian writer, poet, and gender rights activist, known for her work in women’s empowerment and capacity building, especially in rural India. As the trustee and Executive Vice President of the Guild for Service, she has led initiatives to establish shelter homes, schools, and support centers for marginalized communities.
Khanna also co-founded the global “Last Woman First” alliance and the Every Woman Coalition. An advocate for widows’ rights, she has advised UN Women and the Indian government on gender issues and co-authored Mantras for Positive Ageing, with a foreword by the Dalai Lama.
Jacquelyne Yawa is a distinguished business development expert with over 23 years of experience, specialising in driving growth across critical sectors such as Agribusiness, Banking, FinTech, Project Contracting in Oil and Gas Construction, and International Cocoa Diplomacy. Based in Abuja, Nigeria, she is renowned for her strategic vision and unparalleled technical expertise, consistently enhancing business performance and delivering exceptional value to stakeholders.
A passionate advocate for improving agribusiness in Nigeria, Jacquelyne has worked with 2,000 smallholder farmers to create a thriving ecosystem in the sorghum value chain, from farm to farmgate. Her efforts have been pivotal in unlocking opportunities within the agricultural sector, mainly through collaborations with multi-stakeholders to de-risk the agricultural value chain. She has implemented sustainable practices such as access to finance, certified seed, etc. These initiatives have improved the farmers’ livelihoods and contributed to the overall sustainability of the sector.
Jacquelyne’s career includes leadership roles at organisations like Alcon Nigeria Limited, Guinness Nigeria, and Zenith Bank PLC, where she consistently delivered impactful results. She also plays a crucial role as a conference speaker, sharing her insights on business development, strategic planning, and agribusiness opportunities in Nigeria, inspiring professionals and policymakers alike.
Jacquelyne Yawa - Nigeria
Tatiana Kotlyarenko
Tatiana Kotlyarenko is an international expert and speaker on gender-based violence and human trafficking. She was the Advisor on Anti-Trafficking Issues at OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights from 2016-2023.
She worked on the 2nd edition of the National Referral Mechanisms – Joining Efforts to Protect the Rights of Trafficked Persons: A Practical Handbook and Addressing Emerging Human Trafficking Trends and Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as providing technical support and capacity building to combat trafficking in human beings to OSCE participating states. In response to the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine, which especially impacts women and children, Tatiana conducted rapid assessment missions and provided recommendations to countries on how to prevent and address trafficking of Ukrainian women and children.
In addition, Tatiana works on issues related to sexual violence in conflict. She has been the recipient of the Last Girl Awards in 2022 and is a member of BMW Responsible Leaders.
Valentina Cominetti holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Counterterrorism (Summa cum Laude), a Master’s in International and War Journalism, and a B.A. in Political Science (Summa cum Laude).
With nearly a decade of experience working with victims of international crimes in journalism and the private legal sector, she has honed her expertise in uncovering networks of profiteers tied to these crimes and ensuring their accountability.
Valentina has transitioned her knowledge and skills to the non-profit sector, where she focuses on expanding access to remedy and justice for survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery, holding perpetrators and their supporters financially accountable to them.
Valentina Cominetti - USA
Shorouq Shatnawi - Jordan
Shorouq Shatnawi is an ambitious Arab woman in the field of promoting gender justice and development. Shorouq has an impressive international consultancy and advocacy track record, she has been a driving force behind several gender initiatives. Her work has empowered countless women, particularly in Jordan, by promoting equality through targeted advocacy, shaping public policy, and providing essential training to vulnerable communities.
Since 2009, she had started her passion towards international relations and gender and development agenda. Her passion began when she start working as an international relations assistant at a governmental institution in Jordan. And joining the master’s program in women’s studies/ Jordan University.
Since that time, she had extensive profound expertise in relation to International relations, Women, Peace and Security agenda, gender mainstreaming, gender audits, assessment and analysis, gender research, gender training and consultations, and gender related advocacy. She have a profound expertise in projects’ and CSOs’ management, drafting public policies, public speaking and advocacy techniques, trainings and consultations and the security sector reform from a gender lens.
Shorouq speaks three languages (Arabic, English and French). She holds a Master’s degree in women’s studies/ Gender Studies with a Thesis on Hindrances facing Jordanian women reaching the House of Representatives, “1921-2013”. Shorouq is an ILO Certified Gender Auditor and she was chosen by the US department of state as Jordan’s most influential leader on Peace and Security according to her role in leading the Jordanian National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325, women, peace and security in Jordan (2016-2018).