Nana Afadzinu, Trustee, Oxfam GB

I was called to the Ghana Bar in 1996 and the plan was to go into private legal practice until I found myself in the Gambia working as a Legal Officer with the African Commission for Human and Peoples Rights. It was there that I discovered my true calling, I believe. This was 1997/98 - at the height of Sani Abacha's excesses, and several civil society organisations (from Nigeria especially) engaged the Commission actively and fought for democracy and the respect for and protection of human rights in their countries. This fight for social justice was one I fully identified with and wanted to be a part of. I have not looked back since.

In 2004, I coordinated the work of the over 200-member coalition that pushed for a legal framework to protect survivors of domestic violence in Ghana and I have been an active member of the women's movement.

Through my work with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) as Governance Program Officer and Country Coordinator for Nigeria I pushed for an enabling environment for civic engagement, consolidating democracy, transparency and accountability in governance, the respect, promotion, protection and fulfilment of human rights in the sub-region.
As the Regional Policy Advisor for West Africa for Ibis West Africa, I contributed to the organisation's work on improving natural resource governance, local governance and education, especially in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Currently, I head the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), an organization with a mission to strengthen the capacity of civil society primarily in West Africa, but also beyond, to become more effective, efficient and sustainable in the fight for social justice and contribution to development.

Oxfam GB's mission of ending poverty and fighting inequality resonates with me on several levels and it is both a pleasure and privilege for me to join the team as a Trustee. I hope to contribute all I can towards achieving this noble mission and trust that I'll learn a lot too