Ms. Pramila Patten of Mauritius – Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

12 April 2017: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Pramila Patten of Mauritius as his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict at the level of Under‑Secretary-General. She will succeed Zainab Hawa Bangura of Sierra Leone to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated service and commitment to the United Nations.  
 
As a practising Barrister at Law, having serv ed since 2003 as Member of The Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Ms. Patten brings solid and diversified judiciary expertise in sexual and gender-based violence as well as women, peace and security notably as Member of the High Level Advisory Group for Global Study on Security Council resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security (since 2014) and Member of the Advisory Panel of African Women’s rights Observatory, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (since 2010).
 
She previously served as Adviser, Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development & Family Welfare (2000-2004); Member of the Advisory Committee of Due Diligence Framework Project (2012-2014); Member of International Women’s Rights Action Watch (1993-2002) and as United Nations Secretary-General-appointed Commissioner of the International Commission of Inquiry into massacre in Guinea Conakry in 2009.
 
Born in 1958, she holds a LLM, University College London and LLB Honours (First Class), Ealing College of Higher Education;  Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Mauritius (1987-1992) and District Court Magistrate (1987-1988).