Coordinating Committee

Prof. Leonor Briones, (Philippines, co-chair) Lead Convenor, Social Watch Philippines, became Treasurer of the Republic of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001 during the term of President Joseph Estrada. She is also former Presidential Adviser for Social Development with Cabinet Rank, former president of the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and Nominee to Congress of KAARBAY Party list during the 2010 national elections.

Tanya Dawkins (USA, co-chair)  is the executive director of the Global-Local Links Project where her work focuses on engaging questions of what it means to build citizen and community power in an age of intensifying globalization(s). Her work focuses on developing a new generation of globally minded, community-centric tools, networks, law and policy that “put people and communities at the center of the global economy.” She is currently developing the Global Community Rights Framework Initiative. Tanya has an MBA from Barry University and has completed post graduate studies in international human rights law at Oxford University. She co-chairs Social Watch International and has been active in Social Watch-US since 2005.

Abdulnabi Alerky (Bahrain) Founder and Coordinator of Bahrain Committee for Human Rights, in exile 1982-2001; Founder and Training Officer of Bahrain Human Rights Society since 2001; Founder, Member of Board, and currently President of Bahrain Transparency Society; Coordinator of Arab NGOs Network for Development (ANND) in Bahrain; Member of CC of ANND since establishment in 1997; ANND member organizations are members of SW, thus by defacto member of SW; Editor or Co-editor of the country report of the SW annual report; Contributor of Bahrain report on MDGs; Contributor of alternative report to the major UN mechanisms on human rights; Bahrain national with BA in Engineering and diplomas in human rights and statistics.

Gustave Benjamin Assah (Benin) is currently Deputy Coordinator of Social Watch Benin. He is continental chair of Civic Commission for Africa (Pan African TICAD Civil Society Advocacy Network for Aid Effectiveness); National Coordinator of building capacity project of Civil Society Organizations and the Media in Benin (UNDP-Benin); Treasury of West and Central Africa NGOs Network (REPAOC). He holds a  Masters in Human Resources Manager Program Evaluation specializing in Interactive methodologies. He is a Community Development Expert in Governance, Advocacy and lobbying. He also holds an Honors degree in Human and Social Sciences (Sociology and option Anthropology) at University of Benin Specialising in Development and Project Management. He has done Advocacy and lobbying Consultancy for ECA, with experience on APRM / NEPAD support to CSOs. He is an activist at G-CAP Benin and member of CIVICUS.

Milena Kadieva (Bulgaria) is the International Litigation Director of the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation (BGRF). She is a human rights lawyer working in the field of women’s human rights protection particularly in the areas of violence against women and discrimination as well as economic and social rights. She is the Coordinator of the Women’s Human Rights Training Institute organized by BGRF, the Network of East-West Women and the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Kate McInturff (Canada) is the Executive Director of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action [FAFIA]. Kate is a leading expert on women’s human rights norms and Canadian human rights policy. Her work is focused on making international agreements on women’s human rights a reality in women’s everyday lives. She works with local, national and multi-lateral organizations to develop mechanisms that will ensure that international agreements are implemented domestically.
Kate is a member of the Executive Committee of the Women’s World Congress, an international meeting which will bring over 2000 feminist researchers and activists to Ottawa, Canada in 2011. Kate received her doctoral degree from the University of British Columbia in 2000.

Mirjam van Reisen (European Union ) is the founder of Europe External Policy Advisors (EEPA), a research and advice centre on European Union external policy, based in Brussels. EPPA works in cooperation with Eurostep and its members. She was a political advisor in the European Parliament from 1999 – 2001. She has 20 years experience of working both in and alongside the EC Institutions. In October 2010, Prof van Reisen was appointed for the Endowed Chair in honour of Marga Klompé on International Social Responsibility at Tilburg University, School of Humanities. Mirjam van Reisen is the author of the books “Window of Opportunity: EU development Cooperation after the End of the Cold War” (Africa World Press) and “EU Global Player: The North-South Policy of the European Union” (International books).

Yao Graham (Ghana) is the Coordinator of Third World Network-Africa, a pan-African research and advocacy organization based in Accra Ghana and also a founding member of Social Watch. TWN-Africa's work covers the areas of economic policy, international trade, investment and the role of the IFIs on African development, gender and economic policy and Africa's extractive sector (mainly mining and petroleum). Yao has been involved in activism and debates and written extensively about Africa and global development issues since the mid 1970s, working with key social organisations such as trade unions over the years.

Norayda Ponce Sosa (Guatemala) is currently a member of the Coordination of NGOs and Cooperatives (CONGCOOP), Social Watch's focal point in Guatemala. She holds an MA degree in Business Administration and works as an international cooperation analyst with expertise on gender issues. She also chaired the Foundation for Development Projects Technical Support (FUNDATEP) for 12 years.

Himanshu Jha (India) is the national coordinator of SW India, which is a broad based network of CSOs, citizens and communities. As part of his work, he is involved in active advocacy and research on governance accountability. He has worked extensively on the issues of privatization of public utilities, federalism, governance and institutions of governance. He holds an MA degree in Political Science from Jawaharial Nehru University and a M. Phil degree in Public Policy from the Austrian National University.

Barbara Adams (New York) Economist, well-known international social justice and gender equality advocate and Senior Fellow at the Global Policy Forum, she is also a member of the Women’s Working Group on FfD, serves on the Boards of Social Watch, of the American Friends Service Committee and of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC). She has also undertaken development work in Latin America. Formerly, she was the Chief of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at UNIFEM (2003- 2008). She has worked with women's organizations on advancing gender equality in the macroeconomic and aid effectiveness policy arenas.

Martina Mnenegwa Kabisama (Tanzania) works as a national co-ordinator of Southern Africa Human Rights NGO Network (SAHRINGON)-Tanzania Chapter. She has vast experience in management and capacity building programmes. She has served as a Sub Regional Co-ordinator and Africa Regional Vice President for Oikosnet-Africa in 1995-2000,2000-2004 respectively and served as a Vice Chairperson of East Africa and Horn of Africa Fellowship of Christian Councils from 2003-2006. She holds a Masters Degree in Education, International Management and Policy from the University of Birmingham –UK.She is also a human rights and gender activist with over 20 years experience , and has extensively networked with other human rights organizations at national, regional and global levels. She is also an international trainer on nonviolence approaches to conflict management.

Roberto Bissio (Uruguay, ex officio) is coordinator of Social Watch and Executive Director of the Third World Institute (Instituto del Tercer Mundo, ITeM). He is a member of the boards of the Third World Network (TWN) and of the Montreal International Forum. He is also a member of the Civil Society Advisory Committee to the UNDP administrator.