Engaging Policymakers: Translating your research findings into policy and practice
Prof Fatima Waziri–Azi
Prof Fatima Waziri–Azi is an esteemed academic, legal practitioner, and human rights activist. Currently serving as the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), she holds the position of Professor of Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Her credentials include being an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom) and a Notary Public for Nigeria.
Prior to her role at NAPTIP, Prof Waziri–Azi served as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Rule of Law in the Office of the Vice President. She has an impressive educational background, obtaining a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and a Barrister At-Law Degree from the Nigeria Law School Lagos. Furthermore, she holds a Masters of Law Degree in International Law and Human Rights from St Thomas University School of Law, Miami–Florida, USA, as well as a Doctor of Juridical Science Degree (PhD in Law) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Pittsburgh–Pennsylvania State, USA. Additionally, she has a Certificate in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Program in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Prof Waziri–Azi's professional experiences encompass diverse roles, including working as an Attorney & Program Officer at Human Rights Law Service & Olisa Agbakoba Legal in Lagos, a Legal Associate at the New York City Administration of Children Services, Division of Legal Services in New York, and a Legal Fellow at Transparency International USA in Washington, D.C. She has also worked as a Researcher at the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC).
Acknowledging her outstanding achievements, Prof Waziri-Azi was honoured with the prestigious University of Pittsburgh Sheth International Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2022. She is a prolific author, having authored and edited books, and her work is widely published in reputable local and international journals. In 2016, she established the Safe Haven Foundation, an organisation dedicated to safeguarding the rights of women and children.
Prof Waziri–Azi is a member of various professional associations, including the Nigerian Bar Association, New York County Lawyers Association, Association of Women in Development, Women in International Security, and the International Scrabble Club.
Dr John Ovuoraye
Dr John Ovuoraye is the Director and Head of the Gender, Adolescent, School Health & Elderly (GASHE) Division within the Department of Family Health at the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH),Nigeria. With expertise as a Consultant Family Physician, he previously held the position of Head of the Newborn branch within the Child Health Division of the FMoH from 2015 to 2021.
Dr Ovuoraye is a member of the Global Steering Committee on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and serves as a board member of the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, as well as the National Senior Citizen Centre. Additionally, he actively contributes to the National Adolescent Health Development Technical Working Group (NADHTWG), Gender in Health Technical Working Group (GiHTWG), and the Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Adolescent Elderly Health plus Nutrition Multi-Stakeholder Coordination Platform (RMNCAEH+N MSCP).
Dr Ovuoraye serves as an editor and contributor to various Federal Ministry of Health guidelines, standard operating procedures, strategies, and policy documents. He has also undergone training supported by the World Bank, including the Country Leadership training and Hogan Assessments.
Driven by a passion for policy formulation, development, implementation, and evaluation, Dr Ovuoraye is a dedicated technocrat. He possesses a strong interest in research and has gained extensive experience through his travels. Alongside his professional commitments, he is happily married and blessed with children.
