Isabel has worked extensively in advocating for universal birth registration and the rights of undocumented migrant children. Currently, Isabel is the manager for the Children and Law Programme at a Pan African think tank-African Child Policy Forum, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where she leads strategic initiatives on child rights governance and justice reform. Her work has been instrumental in shaping policies, laws and practices across Africa, including advancing legislative frameworks and advocacy strategies to protect vulnerable children. Isabel is also an External Expert to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights & Welfare of the Child’s Working Group on Children’s Rights and Business. Isabel studied law at the University of Pretoria, South Africa and she holds a Master’s Degree in Child law and is currently completing her Doctoral Degree on children’s rights.  

Alison is the Deputy Regional Director for UNICEF in Eastern and Southern Africa. She leads a team of technical advisors supporting 21 country offices in program development, implementation, and policy guidance. Alison boasts over 25 years’ experience in diverse humanitarian and development settings across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Latin America.

Timothy Ekesa has over 29 years of experience as a leading child rights activist advocating for children rights and child protection in Kenya, regionally and globally.

He is the Executive Director of Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children (KAACR), an umbrella membership NGO of 250 CSOs in Kenya and with Special Consultative Status) with ECOSOC (UN), Observer Status with African Committee on of Experts on Rights and Welfare of Children (ACERWC) and local partner of ECPAT International.

Mr. Ekesa is currently one of the 18 Experts on the UN Committee on the Rights of the Children, in OHCHR, Geneva Switzerland.

He has led national state party periodic reports and CSO supplementary reporting process on implementation of UNCRC & African Charter on the Rights & Welfare of Children (ACRWC) processes in Switzerland & Ethiopia respectively since 1997. He led a meaningful child participation in CRC reporting process during 44th Session of CRC when Kenya presented the 2nd State Party report of Kenya in 1998 – 2004.

He is one of 20 child advocates from 20 countries at A20 Global Leadership Summit on Child Advocacy 2019 in Beijing, China.

He served as a member of the 5-person ECPAT International Global Supervisory Board

He is a founding Director of 14-country Eastern Africa Child Rights Network (EACRN)

He is a founding Director of Child Line Kenya, Child Helpline 116

He has served as a member of the National Council for Children Services (NCCS), Ministry of Labour Social Security and Services and Vice Chairperson of Elimu Yetu Coalition (Educational Advocacy and pressure lobby group).

He has published several publications on children rights, child protection, child labour, child rights governance and child participation.

He holds Masters of Science Degree in Organizational Development (USIU), continuing Masters of Arts International Relations & Diplomacy (UON), Bachelor of Arts Degree in communication with minor in Community Development from Messiah College through (Daystar University), Post graduate Diploma in Management and Development of NGOs from Galile college, Israel and certificate in magazine editing & production (Daystar University).

Hon. Karoonawtee Chooramun has served as a Member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) since March 2021. She is the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Name, Birth Registration, and Nationality, where she champions every child’s right to legal identity through birth registration and nationality, and works to combat statelessness across the continent. As Special Rapporteur, Hon. Chooramun advocates for the universal registration of births, which is essential for a child’s legal identity and the realization of many other rights. Her work also involves tackling challenges related to statelessness and ensuring that children can acquire nationality, thereby securing their rights and participation in society. She also serves as Country Rapporteur for Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe, monitoring child rights policies and advising on improvements. In addition, she is a member of the Working Group on Business and Children’s Rights, focusing on the impact of corporate practices on child welfare, including child labor and corporate responsibility.

Taju Mohamed – Head of Civil Registration Service Directorate, Ethiopia

Position: Director, Civil Registration Directorate Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS)
Educational background:
MA in development management from Hawassa University.
Professional Experience:
Mr. Taju Mohammed is a seasoned professional with an extensive expertise and experience in civil registration. He has been instrumental in strengthening Ethiopia’s civil registration system since 2016—the year the Conventional Civil Registration System was formally introduced.
In his current position, as Director, Civil Registration Directorate, Mr. Mohammed leads the Civil Registration Directorate at the federal level within the ICS. He oversees national civil registration operations, guides and supports regional implementation, and coordinates the application of policies and procedures across all regions of Ethiopia. He also collaborates with diverse stakeholders to ensure alignment with international standards and best practices.
Previously, Mr. Mohammed served as Director of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Oromia Vital Events Registration Agency – the largest region in Ethiopia, representing about one-third of the country’s population. His key responsibilities included developing strategic plans, directives, and guidelines to implement civil registration activities, as well as overseeing planning, monitoring, and evaluation efforts throughout the Oromia region.

Arnaldo JAMAL MAGALHAES, National Director, National Directorate of Civil Registration and Notary, Mozambique

Arnaldo Jamal de Magalhães is the National Director of Registries and Notaries under Mozambique’s Ministry of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs. He has nearly 20 years of experience in civil registration and notary services, having held roles from Legal Officer to senior registrar, notary, and director at city and national levels. Arnaldo is committed to advancing legal identity systems and access to registration services for all Mozambicans.
He joined the Ministry of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs in 2004 as a Legal Officer in the Directorate of Planning and International Cooperation.
In 2006, he participated in the 2nd Training Course for Registrars and Notaries at the Legal and Judicial Training Center in Matola.
He was approved and assigned that same year to a new position as a Senior Registrar and Notaries Technician N1 (the title given to the career at the time) at the Commercial Registry Office of Maputo City.
In mid-2007, he was transferred to the Second Civil Registry Office of Maputo City as a Registrar, where he remained until the following year.
From 2008 to 2013, he served as Registrar and Senior Notary at the First Notary Office in Maputo City.
In mid-2013, he was transferred to Matola City to serve as Director of the Notary Office until February 2022.
From February 2022 to June 2025, he served as Director of the Civil Registry and Legal Entities Office of Matola, at which time he was appointed National Director of Registries and Notaries.

Patricia ANGELO MPUYA, Registration Manager, Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), Tanzania

Patricia Angelo Mpuya is a highly accomplished legal professional with over 15 years of experience in the legal sector, demonstrating a remarkable career journey marked by diverse roles and significant contributions. She holds an MBA (CM) from Mzumbe University Business School and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.b) degree from the university of Dar es Salaam, in addition to being a Registered Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania and its subordinate courts.
Her career began as a Legal Officer at M/S M.A. Ismail & Co. Advocates, where she spent a year honing her legal skills. This foundational experience provided her with extensive knowledge in various legal aspects, including providing legal opinions, conducting thorough legal research and analysis, and drafting legal documents and court papers.
Mpuya’s blend of legal and management expertise has propelled her into various leadership roles. She served as the Private Secretary to the Deputy Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, showcasing her ability to operate effectively at a high level within government.
For over ten years, she dedicated her skills as a State Attorney for the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA). This extensive tenure at RITA has made her exceptionally well-versed in the intricate areas of law pertaining to registration of vital events and related matters.
Currently, Patricia Mpuya holds the crucial position of Registration Manager at RITA. In this role, she leads and manages a substantial registration section comprising over 100 employees across various districts. Her responsibilities encompass the vital functions of registering births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and adoptions. Her leadership in this capacity has also provided her with opportunities to participate in numerous national and international workshops and conferences, further enhancing her leadership skills

William Muhwava is the Chief of Demographic and Social Statistics Section at the African Centre for Statistics of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. He holds a Doctorate in Medical Demography from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London. He is a Demographer and has worked with national statistical offices, universities and international organizations. In his current capacity, he leads the section that has the core functions of supporting countries in the collection, production, analyses and use of demographic and social data collected through censuses, civil registration, population registers and household surveys. He is coordinating the Africa Programme for Accelerated Improvement for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (APAI-CRVS) which has the objective to provide management and programmatic guidance to the African agenda of reforming and improving CRVS systems. The regional programme provides guidance on the institutional and operational linkages, workflows and results management mechanisms in a more comprehensive and holistic manner, encompassing the inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral interfaces of CRVS systems. He also coordinates the implementation of United Nations Legal Identity Agenda, aimed at establishing a mechanism for conferring legal identity to all in a continuous, universal and inclusive manner, from birth to death. Currently, the work has been extended to include the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda and National Population Registers. He coordinates the Africa Census Program.

Nankali Maksud is the Regional Advisor for Child Protection at UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa, where she leads UNICEF’s regional agenda to strengthen child protection systems across 21 countries. With over 20 years of experience in both development and humanitarian contexts, she has championed sustainable reforms in child protection, with a particular focus on legal identity, violence prevention, and protection of vulnerable children.