We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Pedi Obani, HR2W’s Chair of our HR2W Expert Committee, has been awarded the prestigious Future Leaders Fellowship by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding body. This honour is a testament to her outstanding contributions to climate justice, gender equality, and legal reform.

Dr. Obani, an associate professor in the School of Law, has been granted £1.28 million for a transformative four-year project. Her research will delve into how climate change disproportionately impacts women and will seek to develop a framework to mitigate these effects. Dr. Obani is among just 68 scholars nationwide to receive this esteemed award.

Commenting on the fellowship, Dr. Obani expressed:

“I am delighted and honoured to be awarded a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. This prestigious award affords me the funding, flexibility, and support to conduct world-class research and pivot into being a global leading expert in gender-inclusive climate change governance over the next four years.”

Dr. Obani’s research aims to address critical and under-researched questions about redesigning legal and political institutions to promote climate justice for women. She emphasises the need to influence policy decisions to enhance women’s roles in climate change governance. Dr. Obani’s project will offer solutions to social and cultural gender inequalities intensified by climate change. Her findings, which will be drawn from three case study countries (Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya) are expected to have broader implications, potentially influencing policies in Europe.

Read the more about Pedi’s new appointment: here