2007-08 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows

Amal Abdullah Al-Hakimi, Yemen Ms. Al-Hakimi was a Program Officer at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) in Yemen from 2005-2007. One of her responsibilities at NDI was running the Democracy Development Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Ms. Al-Hakimi has worked on a variety of projects related to democracy, including developing and designing a 2007 Parliamentary By-Law Manual, which was distributed to Yemeni MPs and political parties. She is a national trainer on fair electoral process and trained observers and those observing in the voter registration and election process. During her fellowship year, Ms. Al-Hakimi will focus on gaining leadership skills and resources for strengthening democracy, legislative processes, human rights, and political reform in developing countries.

Prabath Parakrama Aluthge, Sri Lanka Mr.Aluthge is an Immigration Officer with the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Sri Lanka and is currently based in Bandaranaike International Airport. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in International Relations. He is interested in developing a human trafficking and immigration research unit, as well as designing an immigration training program for government enforcement officers. He has been numerously commended for his investigative work in detection of perpetrators of human trafficking. During his fellowship year, Mr. Althuge will focus on issues related to immigration, human trafficking, and public policy.

Wasantha Navaratne Bandara, Sri Lanka Mr. Bandara is currently the Deputy Solicitor General in the Attorney General’s Office and has conducted prosecutions in many prominent criminal trials. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Law and a master’s degree in Public International Law from the University of Colombo. He also holds a master’s degree in Commercial and Corporate Law from the University of London King’s College. Mr. Bandara has investigated and prosecuted the assassinations of Defense Minister Athulathmudali, General Kobbekaduwa, and the arms and military hardware procurements to the military forces during the regime of the previous government. During his fellowship year, he will focus on establishing professional contacts with prosecutorial and investigating authorities in order to gain insight on the U.S. systems for combating terrorism and related offenses like money laundering.

Bhanu Bhaskar, India Bhanu Bhaskar is an officer of the Indian Police Service with a special interest in the investigation of socio-economic crimes and works in India’s Central Bureau of Investigation. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations, and a master’s of Philosophy on Policy Analysis. In 2006, he was the Chevening British Council Fellow, working on wildlife crime and other enforcement issues. During his fellowship year, he will concentrate on enforcement issues including strategies to combat human trafficking and wildlife crime.

Zarina Juraeva, Tajikistan Ms. Zarina Juraeva is currently working as a Child Protection Project Officer in Save the Children in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Ms. Juraeva holds a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages from Tajik State University. She has extensive experience coordinating projects of child protection and development, has worked with displaced Afghan children in Tajikistan, and initiated a project to eliminate the exploitation of child labor. During her fellowship year, Ms. Juraeva will focus on HIV/AIDS prevention amongst marginalized children and youth providing social services.

Gela Kvashilava, Georgia Gela Kvashilava, Ph.D., is Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Analysis at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Mr. Kvashilava holds a master’s degree in Economics and a Ph.D. in Information Technology Development from Tbilisi State University. He is founder of a non-profit organization, Partnership for Road Safety, which implements strategies that address road safety in Georgia. During his fellowship year, Mr. Kvashilava will focus on public management, and transportation safety and policies.

Byung Geon Lee, South Korea Mr. Lee is the Deputy Director of the Fair Trade Commission, which is an anti-trust, consumer protection, and regulation reform department. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Public Administration. He was an anti-trust case handler in the Competition Bureau. In 2005, he transferred and worked in the Conglomerate Division in charge of reforming holding companies’ regulatory systems. In 2005, Mr. Lee was awarded ‘man of the year’ in the Fair Trade Commission with two other colleagues. During his fellowship year, Mr. Lee will focus

Christina Popivanova, Bulgaria Ms. Christina Popivanova is currently the Project Officer on Children and Young People’s Development and Protection in the UNICEF office in Bulgaria. She has addressed a variety of social issues such as HIV/AIDS, child protection, child poverty, education, and policy evaluation at different forums. Christina has received a master’s degree in Economics from the University of Sofia and a master’s degree in International Relations and European Studies from the Central European University, as well as a Joint European master’s degree in European Integration and International Trade. She has extensive experience managing programs and projects within the UNDP, UNICEF and UNAIDS in the Southeast Europe region and has been a recipient of scholarships from Open Society Foundation, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and U.S. Department of State. During her fellowship year, Ms. Popivanova will focus her efforts on public policy analysis, the macroeconomics of education, and social policy for children and families.

Ricardo Muñoz Portugal, Peru Mr. Muñoz Portugal is currently the Departmental Coordinator for the Municipality of Lima, where he prepares and organizes plans to transfer communications, resources, and funds from the National Government to the Municipality of Lima. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a master’s degree in Business Administration. During his fellowship year, Mr. Muñoz Portugal will focus on fiscal and administrative decentralization and public resource management, as well as practical applications in administering public services managed by local governments.

Abraham Korir Sing’Oei, Kenya Mr. Sing’Oei is the executive Director of the Centre for Minority Rights Development (Cemiride), a non-profit organization that seeks the legal and political recognition of minorities and indigenous communities in Kenya and Greater Africa through strategic litigation, research, and frontline advocacy. Mr. Sing’Oei, an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, holds an LL.B degree and is an LL.M candidate at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He has extensive experience in using international and regional human rights mechanisms to secure group rights for communities in Africa. During his fellowship year, he will focus on international human rights law, citizenship and migration issues, and will also study models on the promotion of diversity and inclusion of minorities in political processes.

Munir Ahmed Shaikh, Pakistan Mr. Shaikh is the Senior Superintendent of Police serving with the Inspector General of Police in Karachi, Pakistan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, a master’s degree in Economics, and a master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. During his fellowship year, he will focus on Human Rights and Criminal Law, especially in cases of violations against women. He will also focus on transitional justice and on democratic policing and his professional goals include developing human rights ethics amongst young police officers in the Pakistan Police Service.

Eliana Sousa Silva, Brazil Ms. Sousa Silva is Director of the Department of Integration and Community at the University of Rio de Janeiro. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Portuguese Literature a master’s degree in Education, and a doctorate in Social Services. Ms. Sousa Silva co-founded two non-profit organizations in Rio de Janeiro called the Center for Studies and Solidarity Action of Mare and the Development Network of Mare. Both organizations implement social projects of education, community participation, development, and empowerment. During her fellowship year, she will focus on extending her professional experience in the areas of enhancing and connecting communications between schools, urban poor communities, and public policies.

Zoran Todorov, Republic of Macedonia   Mr. Todorov is the Head of the Department for European Union law in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Law and a masters’ degrees in Civil and International Human Rights Law. For the last 10 years, he has worked at and headed the Department of Human Rights in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his fellowship year, Mr. Todorov will focus on International Human Rights Law and understanding the main principles of U.S. foreign policy.

Unurtsetseg Tsedev, Mongolia Ms. Tsedev has worked for the ministry of Social Welfare and Labor in the field of Population. Development for the last fifteen years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Philology and Labor Economy and Management, and a master’s degree in Pedagogy. Ms. Tsedev has experience in policy and strategy development and its implementation and coordination. She is also involved with the adoption process of international treaties and preparation of periodic reports on the rights of women and children. Ms. Tsedev is one of the leading experts on human trafficking in Mongolia. During her fellowship year, Ms. Tsedev will focus on policy analysis and human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children in order to improve effectiveness in trafficking prevention, law enforcement, and victim protection.

Nay Win, Myanmar (Burma)   Mr. Win is currently the Associate General of the YMCA of Mandalay, where he is responsible for over 50 staff members engaged in a variety of humanitarian causes, including youth leadership training, managing preschool centers, and overseeing programs to install hand pump wells and hygienic latrines in villages. He holds a bachelor’s degree of Science in Chemistry and Religious Education. During his fellowship year, he will focus on studying community development in order to organize and lead trainings for local NGOs, community-based welfare associations, and citizens in both urban and rural areas.