The current members of the Executive Committee are as follows:
Prof. Carlos Ayala – Venezuela
Carlos Ayala is currently serving his first term as Commissioner following his election in 2012. He was a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (I-ACHR) and served as Chairman between 1996 and1999. Carlos was also the Rapporteur for Indigenous People´s Rights of the I-ACHR between 1996 and 1999. He was a member of the Andean Commission of Jurists between 1992 and 2009, serving as their President between 2003 and 2009. Carlos has also served as a Professor at a number of prestigious universities, including Universidad Católica “Andrés Bello” (UCAB) and Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas, Georgetown University and American University in the USA, and has recently been appointed at the University of Oxford in the UK. He is the author of several publications relating to Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Human Rights Law. Carlos is currently a partner in the Caracas law firm Ayala, Dillon, Fernández & Linares (Consultores Jurídicos). Since 1998, Carlos has been a member of the Board of the Ibero-American Institute of Constitutional Law and chairman of the Venezuela Chapter. He has been a member of the International Human Rights Institute IBA in London since 2009. Between 1996 and 1998, Carlos also served as President of the Venezuelan Association of Constitutional Law and, since 1998, as President Honoris Causa.
Carlos Ayala is currently serving his first term as Commissioner following his election in 2012. He was a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (I-ACHR) and served as Chairman between 1996 and1999. Carlos was also the Rapporteur for Indigenous People´s Rights of the I-ACHR between 1996 and 1999. He was a member of the Andean Commission of Jurists between 1992 and 2009, serving as their President between 2003 and 2009. Carlos has also served as a Professor at a number of prestigious universities, including Universidad Católica “Andrés Bello” (UCAB) and Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas, Georgetown University and American University in the USA, and has recently been appointed at the University of Oxford in the UK. He is the author of several publications relating to Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Human Rights Law. Carlos is currently a partner in the Caracas law firm Ayala, Dillon, Fernández & Linares (Consultores Jurídicos). Since 1998, Carlos has been a member of the Board of the Ibero-American Institute of Constitutional Law and chairman of the Venezuela Chapter. He has been a member of the International Human Rights Institute IBA in London since 2009. Between 1996 and 1998, Carlos also served as President of the Venezuelan Association of Constitutional Law and, since 1998, as President Honoris Causa.
Justice Azhar Cachalia – South Africa
Azhar Cachalia is currently serving his first term as a Commissioner, having been elected in 2011, and he was elected to the Executive Committee in 2012. He is currently a Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa. Before this he served as Judge of the South African High Court from 2001 – 2005. In 1983 he was a founding member of the United Democratic Front (a coalition of anti-apartheid organizations in South Africa) and has worked with numerous community organizations throughout his life. Between 1977-1989 he was detained and banned on several occasions for his anti-apartheid activity. From 1996-1999 he served in Government as Secretary for Safety and Security. In 1999 he returned to legal practice.
Azhar Cachalia is currently serving his first term as a Commissioner, having been elected in 2011, and he was elected to the Executive Committee in 2012. He is currently a Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa. Before this he served as Judge of the South African High Court from 2001 – 2005. In 1983 he was a founding member of the United Democratic Front (a coalition of anti-apartheid organizations in South Africa) and has worked with numerous community organizations throughout his life. Between 1977-1989 he was detained and banned on several occasions for his anti-apartheid activity. From 1996-1999 he served in Government as Secretary for Safety and Security. In 1999 he returned to legal practice.
Justice Radmila Dicic – Serbia
Judge Radmila Dragicevic Dicic is serving her first term as Commissioner, having been elected in 2013. She was elected in the Executive Committee in 2015. She is the Acting President of the Belgrade Court of Appeals and is a Judge of the Supreme Court of Serbia. She has held these positions since January 2010. Judge Dicic started her career in 1980, working as a clerk at the Second Municipal Court of Belgrade. In 1988 she was elected Judge of that Court. In 1994, Judge Dicic was elected judge of the District Court of Belgrade, where she presided over a number of important criminal cases. In 1997, during the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, Judge Dicic was one of a number of judges that established the Association of Judges of Serbia: the main goals of the Association were to improve the judicial system and to promote the independence of judges, and to resist violation by the executive of the basic constitutional principles and international legal standards. Consequently, the leading members of the Association were subjected to increased pressure by authorities and harassed. In early 2000, The National Assembly of Serbia dismissed 15 judges, including Judge Dicic. Until the fall of the Milosevic regime, Judge Dicic worked as a lawyer and consultant for various NGO’s, including the Helsinki Committee of Human Rights in Serbia, the Humanitarian Law Centre, and the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights. After the elections in 2000, the Parliament of Serbia annulled the decision to dismiss the 15 judges and Radmila Dicic retook her position in the Belgrade District Court. In May 2003, she was assigned to the Special Chamber for Organized Crime of the Belgrade District Court and in that position she became prominent sitting in many high-profile cases, both as a member of the Panel and as its Chairman.
Judge Radmila Dragicevic Dicic is serving her first term as Commissioner, having been elected in 2013. She was elected in the Executive Committee in 2015. She is the Acting President of the Belgrade Court of Appeals and is a Judge of the Supreme Court of Serbia. She has held these positions since January 2010. Judge Dicic started her career in 1980, working as a clerk at the Second Municipal Court of Belgrade. In 1988 she was elected Judge of that Court. In 1994, Judge Dicic was elected judge of the District Court of Belgrade, where she presided over a number of important criminal cases. In 1997, during the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, Judge Dicic was one of a number of judges that established the Association of Judges of Serbia: the main goals of the Association were to improve the judicial system and to promote the independence of judges, and to resist violation by the executive of the basic constitutional principles and international legal standards. Consequently, the leading members of the Association were subjected to increased pressure by authorities and harassed. In early 2000, The National Assembly of Serbia dismissed 15 judges, including Judge Dicic. Until the fall of the Milosevic regime, Judge Dicic worked as a lawyer and consultant for various NGO’s, including the Helsinki Committee of Human Rights in Serbia, the Humanitarian Law Centre, and the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights. After the elections in 2000, the Parliament of Serbia annulled the decision to dismiss the 15 judges and Radmila Dicic retook her position in the Belgrade District Court. In May 2003, she was assigned to the Special Chamber for Organized Crime of the Belgrade District Court and in that position she became prominent sitting in many high-profile cases, both as a member of the Panel and as its Chairman.
Prof. Jenny E. Goldschmidt – Netherlands
Jenny E. Goldschmidt is currently serving her third term as Commissioner. She was first elected to the Commission in 2003 and re-elected in 2008 and 2013. She is a Member of the Advisory Board of Nederlands Juristen Comité voor de Mensenrechten (NJCM), and NJCM Public Interest Litigation Group. (The NJCM is the ICJ’s National Section in the Netherlands.) She is currently Emeritus Professor of Human Rights Law, and was from 2007-2014 Director of the Netherland Institute of Human Rights at the University of Utrecht. Previously she taught law at the University of Leiden, and women’s studies at the University of Utrecht. From 1994-2003 she was President of the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission. She is the author of numerous publications on Constitutional Law, Human Rights, Legal Pluralism and Equality. In 1996 she was awarded the Aletta Jacobsprijs Award for Women’s Emancipation and in 2006 she was named Officer in the order of Orange-Nassau (Royal Honours). She is on the boards of Disability Studies in the Netherlands, of the Geuzenpenning Foundation, and involved in several NGOs of disability rights, democracy and human rights. She studied law at the University of Leiden.
Jenny E. Goldschmidt is currently serving her third term as Commissioner. She was first elected to the Commission in 2003 and re-elected in 2008 and 2013. She is a Member of the Advisory Board of Nederlands Juristen Comité voor de Mensenrechten (NJCM), and NJCM Public Interest Litigation Group. (The NJCM is the ICJ’s National Section in the Netherlands.) She is currently Emeritus Professor of Human Rights Law, and was from 2007-2014 Director of the Netherland Institute of Human Rights at the University of Utrecht. Previously she taught law at the University of Leiden, and women’s studies at the University of Utrecht. From 1994-2003 she was President of the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission. She is the author of numerous publications on Constitutional Law, Human Rights, Legal Pluralism and Equality. In 1996 she was awarded the Aletta Jacobsprijs Award for Women’s Emancipation and in 2006 she was named Officer in the order of Orange-Nassau (Royal Honours). She is on the boards of Disability Studies in the Netherlands, of the Geuzenpenning Foundation, and involved in several NGOs of disability rights, democracy and human rights. She studied law at the University of Leiden.
Ms Imrana Jalal – Fiji
Imrana Jalal is currently serving her second term as Commissioner following her election in 2006 and re-election in 2011, and she has been a member of the ICJ EXCO since. She is a Fijian human rights lawyer, but is currently working for the Asian Development Bank in Manila as a gender specialist. She is a former Commissioner of the Fiji Human Rights Commission. Imrana is a founding member of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement and the Suva based, Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT).
Imrana Jalal is currently serving her second term as Commissioner following her election in 2006 and re-election in 2011, and she has been a member of the ICJ EXCO since. She is a Fijian human rights lawyer, but is currently working for the Asian Development Bank in Manila as a gender specialist. She is a former Commissioner of the Fiji Human Rights Commission. Imrana is a founding member of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement and the Suva based, Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT).
Ms Hina Jilani – Pakistan
Hina Jilani is serving her fist term on the Executive Committee. She is a human rights activist and an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. With her sister (and ICJ Commissioner) Asma Jahangir, in 1980 she co-founded Pakistan’s first all-female legal aid practice, AGHS Legal Aid Cell (ALAC), in Lahore. Initially the activities focused on providing legal aid to women, but gradually they began to provide legal awareness training, protection from exploitation, legal research, counselling and legal assistance. She is one of the founders of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Women’s Action Forum (WAF), a pressure group established in 1980 campaigning against Pakistan’s discriminatory legislation. In 1986, Jilani founded Pakistan’s first legal aid centre and, in 1991, a shelter for women fleeing violence and abuse (Dastak). Her work has primarily focused on the human rights of women, children, minorities, bonded and child labour, political and other prisoners. Jilani’s work for the protection of child labourers engaged in hazardous work is widely credited to have led to the Pakistani government to pass legislation in 1991 to regulate the employment of children. Jilani is affiliated with the United Nations Centre for Human Rights, the Carter Center, and the UN Conference on Women. From 2000 to 2008, she served as the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders. In 2006, she was appointed to the UN International Fact-Finding Commission on Darfur, Sudan. She was also a member of the ICJ’s Eminent Jurists Panel on Terrorism, Counter-terrorism and Human Rights. In 2009, she was appointed to the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. She is also a patron of the Media Legal Defence Initiative.
Hina Jilani is serving her fist term on the Executive Committee. She is a human rights activist and an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. With her sister (and ICJ Commissioner) Asma Jahangir, in 1980 she co-founded Pakistan’s first all-female legal aid practice, AGHS Legal Aid Cell (ALAC), in Lahore. Initially the activities focused on providing legal aid to women, but gradually they began to provide legal awareness training, protection from exploitation, legal research, counselling and legal assistance. She is one of the founders of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Women’s Action Forum (WAF), a pressure group established in 1980 campaigning against Pakistan’s discriminatory legislation. In 1986, Jilani founded Pakistan’s first legal aid centre and, in 1991, a shelter for women fleeing violence and abuse (Dastak). Her work has primarily focused on the human rights of women, children, minorities, bonded and child labour, political and other prisoners. Jilani’s work for the protection of child labourers engaged in hazardous work is widely credited to have led to the Pakistani government to pass legislation in 1991 to regulate the employment of children. Jilani is affiliated with the United Nations Centre for Human Rights, the Carter Center, and the UN Conference on Women. From 2000 to 2008, she served as the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders. In 2006, she was appointed to the UN International Fact-Finding Commission on Darfur, Sudan. She was also a member of the ICJ’s Eminent Jurists Panel on Terrorism, Counter-terrorism and Human Rights. In 2009, she was appointed to the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. She is also a patron of the Media Legal Defence Initiative.