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Position: |
Co-Fouder & Sir. Technical Advisor (WAVE-Gambia), Independent Consultant |
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Organisation / institution: |
WAVE-Gambia: Women\'s Association for Women & Victims\' Empowerment |
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Bio: |
I am Ms. Priscilla Yagu Shalom Ciesay, Esq., a human rights lawyer and international humanitarian law expert with over 20 years of experience across UN Headquarters in New York and missions in Afghanistan, Darfur, Ethiopia, Kosovo, Liberia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, specializing in human rights, civilian protection, Women, Peace and Security, and gender justice.
Global to Local Expertise
From my roles at UN Human Rights Office and as a UN Special Procedures Mandate Holder (2018-2022) under Security Council Resolution 1591 on Sudan, to my current work as Human Rights and Transitional Justice Consultant since 2022—advising UN entities and international organizations in The Gambia and Africa—I bring proven skills in post-conflict recovery and victim empowerment to this network.
Leadership in Survivor-Centered TJ
As co-founder and Senior Technical Advisor of WAVE-Gambia, alongside my role as Gender Justice Specialist for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Gambia, I lead initiatives on TRRC implementation, citizenship restoration, memorialization through writs of mandamus, and institutional accountability, directly advancing equitable justice for Jammeh-era survivors, especially women.
Multi-Level Advocacy and Credentials
Called to the Bar of England and Wales and admitted as Barrister and Solicitor of The Gambia\'s Supreme Court in 2002, with law degrees from King’s College London and The City Law School (UK), I serve on international advisory boards, providing technical assistance that bridges national Gambian efforts with regional West African and continental African TJ priorities.
Committed Network Contributor
This network offers me platforms to share my frontline insights, forge national-regional-continental partnerships, exchange knowledge on scalable TJ models, and amplify marginalized voices for reparations, non-recurrence, and psychosocial healing across Africa. |
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Skills and expertise: |
Legal Education, Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, Women\'s Rights, Transitional Justice, Gender Justice, Anti-Torture Advocacy, UN Missions, Psychological Support, Policy Reforms, Training and Capacity Building. |
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Reason for membership: |
I am excited to join the African Transitional Justice (TJ) Network to broaden my engagement, exposure, and partnerships at national, regional, and continental levels while amplifying impact through knowledge sharing and exchange with fellow TJ practitioners. As a senior technical advisor at WAVE-Gambia, I seek dynamic platforms to engage diverse stakeholders, gain visibility, and expose myself to evolving TJ trends across Africa. Membership provides access to cutting-edge tools, reports, and peer-to-peer learning on victim-centered approaches, allowing me to refine our legal clinics and survivor dialogues while sharing broad expertise on family-led burials, statelessness reduction, and institutional accountability from national and regional lenses. I aim to build collaborations with national actors in The Gambia, regional West African CSOs and networks, and continental AU bodies plus survivor groups, co-creating scalable TJ models that amplify marginalized voices and translate our interim project gains into shared advocacy for reparations and non-recurrence. Through this network, I can promote WAVE-Gambia\'s leadership on Jammeh-era justice, exchange insights with global peers to drive equitable TJ, and position our team as influential voices weaving legal, psychosocial, and participatory strategies for a more accountable Africa. |
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Location: |
The Gambia |