The South African civil society leader, anti-apartheid
campaigner and life-long activist will lead the world's largest human rights
movement from August 2018.
Amnesty International has appointed Kumi Naidoo as the next
Secretary General of the global human rights movement. From August 2018 Kumi
will succeed Salil Shetty, who served two terms as Secretary General from 2010.
“We are delighted to be welcoming Kumi as our new Secretary
General. His vision and passion for a just and peaceful world make him an
outstanding leader for our global movement, as we strengthen our resolve for a
world where human rights are enjoyed by all,” said Mwikali Muthiani, Chair of
the Board of Amnesty International.
The Secretary General is the leader and main spokesperson
for Amnesty International and the Chief Executive of its International
Secretariat. Amnesty International is the largest human rights movement
globally, with a global presence including offices in more than 70 countries,
2,600 staff and seven million members, volunteers and supporters worldwide.
Kumi is an activist and civil society leader. His previous
leadership roles include Executive Director of Greenpeace International, Chair
of the Global Call for Climate Action, Founding Chair of the Global Call to
Action against Poverty and Secretary General and CEO of CIVICUS, the World
Alliance for Citizen Participation. He currently chairs three start-up
organisations in his home country South Africa: Africans Rising for Justice,
Peace and Dignity; the Campaign for a Just Energy Future; and the Global
Climate Finance Campaign. Naidoo holds a BA in Law and Political Science
(University of KwaZulu-Natal) and a DPhil in Politics (University of Oxford).
“I have been an activist and campaigner all my life, so I am
excited to be joining the world’s largest people movement for human rights at a
time when we need to counter increasing attacks on basic freedoms and on civil
society around the globe. This means adapting to a fluid fast-changing global
environment with urgency, passion and with courage,” said Kumi Naidoo.
“Amnesty International’s campaigns for justice and equality
today are more urgent than ever, and I am humbled and honored to be leading the
organization in these challenging times.”
“The world is at an exciting moment when people across the
world are mobilising in large numbers to fight against injustice and hold
leaders in governments and corporations to account for human rights abuses. I
can’t think of anybody better than Kumi Naidoo to build on Amnesty
International’s mission to become a truly global people’s movement for human
rights,” said Salil Shetty.
“I am delighted to hand over the reins when for the first
time in Amnesty’s history, we have both the Secretary General and Board Chair
from Africa.”
The Secretary General is appointed by the International
Board of Amnesty International for an initial four year term. The appointment
followed an extensive global search.
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