Zambian Professor Elected to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Zambian Professor Cephas Lumina has been elected to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The election took place on May 23rd, 2024, at the UN Headquarters in New York, where Professor Lumina secured 134 votes, placing him among the nine new members elected to serve a four-year term from 2025 to 2029.
Other countries with successful candidates include Mauritania, Kenya, Belgium, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Georgia, Moldova, and Malta.
Professor Lumina, an esteemed Professor of International Human Rights Law and an advocate of the High Court of Zambia, brings a wealth of experience to the committee. This will be his second tenure, having previously served from 2017 to 2021.
His candidacy was strongly supported by the African Union, which endorsed him alongside four other candidates.
In total, 17 candidates participated in the election, including 10 from African countries.
Professor Lumina has outlined clear and focused priorities for his term. He aims to develop practical and achievable recommendations for child rights and will work on establishing a robust follow-up system to monitor their implementation.
Additionally, he plans to support the creation of a coordination mechanism to harmonize recommendations across various human rights bodies, ensuring coherence and efficiency for the benefit of states and stakeholders.
Following the election, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Chola Milambo, expressed pride in Professor Lumina’s accomplishment.
Dr. Milambo highlighted this success as a testament to Zambia’s dedication to child rights and welfare, referencing President Hakainde Hichilema’s prominent role as the African Union Champion on Ending Early, Child, and Forced Marriage.
This significant milestone for Zambia underscores the nation’s ongoing commitment to advancing child rights on the international stage.
The election of Professor Lumina not only strengthens Zambia’s influence within the UN but also reinforces its leadership in promoting and protecting the rights and welfare of children globally.
The news was announced by Namatama Njekwa, First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Permanent Mission of Zambia to the United Nations.
