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Deprose Muchena

Amnesty International
Regional Director for Southern Africa
In March 2014, Deprose Muchena was appointed Regional Director for Amnesty International’s Southern Africa Regional Office (SARO) based in Johannesburg, as part of Amnesty International’s ambitious efforts to move closer to the ground. He leads a team of campaigners, researchers, communication experts and volunteers working to end grave human rights abuses across the region. Over this period, Amnesty International has strengthened its presence in the region working with governments, civil society, media, academics, human rights defenders and right holders to build and sustain rights-respecting societies. Amnesty International is increasingly focused on investigating root causes of rights abuses across themes affecting the region, including socio-economic rights, business and human rights, justice and accountability, while retaining a critical focus on human rights defenders, freedom of expression and assembly agenda in the context of a shrinking space for civil society.

Prior to joining Amnesty, Deprose served as Deputy Executive Director and Head of Programmes, at Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), a grant-making foundation promoting open society ideals. A native of Zimbabwe, Deprose brings steady experience in civil society leadership, human rights advocacy, governance and economic justice activism and alliance building to effect rights respecting change. He is Board Chair of Southern Africa Resources Watch (SARW), a civil society lead organisation on building capacity of civil society and rights holders in resource rich communities and engaging states to ensure that natural resources directly lead to greater access to human rights, sustainable development and avoidance of resource curse. He also serves on the Board of South Africa based Sonke Gender Justice - an organisation that works across Africa to strengthen government, civil society and citizen capacity to promote gender equality, prevent domestic and sexual violence, and reduce the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS.