Title: President
Company: Climate Rights International
Location: Summerville, South Carolina, United States
Nesha D. Abiraj, president at Climate Rights International, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in human rights and nonprofits.
With over 15 years of experience, Ms. Abiraj has built a distinguished career in human rights and nonprofit sectors, specializing in international human rights. She is currently co-executive director of Climate Rights International and an ambassador for Stop Ecocide International, both since 2023. Her experience includes roles as island ambassador for Island Innovation from 2022 to 2024, diplomatic and advocacy liaison for U.S. and Caribbean ocean states from 2022 to 2023, and senior specialist in policy and advocacy for Save the Children U.S. in 2021. From 2019 to 2021, she practiced as an international human rights lawyer in New York, following a research fellowship with Human Rights Watch in 2018. Her early legal roles include serving as a lawyer at Alpha Law Chambers in Trinidad and Tobago from 2011 to 2017, and as attorney with Dipnarine Rampersad & Company and Lynette Seebaran & Company from 2009 to 2011.
Ms. Abiraj has also contributed extensively to human rights advocacy through features and published works, including “Advisory Board Spotlight: Nesha Abiraj,” “Voices Reflection: An Advocate’s Journey,” “An Advocate’s Journey” for Sahiyo & The Story Center, “From Trinidad & Tobago to International Human Rights” for Women Who Win, and “World Human Rights Day: Reimagining Our World with the Hope of a Better Tomorrow for Paradise Pulse. She has also contributed to SWAHA International with Amnesty International and various legal research papers for the International Bar Association and Commonwealth Lawyers Association. Additionally, she dedicates her time Women Who Win, the Human Rights Committee of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, and as advocacy lead for U.S. foreign policy on children’s rights with UNICEF USA. She serves as a consultant for Save the Children, a U.S. advisory board member of the National Coalition to End Early, Forced, and Child Marriages, and is involved with the Red Cross, the National Council for Indian Culture’s youth arm, and disaster relief efforts.
In 2023, Ms. Abiraj was featured in the “Trinidad and Tobago Guardian” and has the distinction of being the first person from Trinidad & Tobago to receive both the Schuette Fellowship in Global Health and Human Rights and the Citation of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Her work on child marriage earned recognition from UNICEF USA and was highlighted in Forbes Magazine. She also received a personal letter of commendation from former President Obama. Other honors include the Pen Toni & James C. Goodale Free Expression Courage Award from Pen America in 2017, recognition as one of the Top 100 Women in the World by Women Who Win, and prestigious fellowships from both the Schuette Fellowship on Global Health and Human Rights and Human Rights Watch.
Ms. Abiraj laid a strong educational foundation with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London in 2007, a licentiate degree from Staffordshire University in 2008, and a Master of Laws in international human rights from Northwestern University in 2018. She is licensed to practice law in Trinidad & Tobago. Her certifications cover diverse areas, including Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, climate change and human rights, risk management, and strategies for child protection and gender-based violence. Additionally, she is certified in CPR, AED, and first aid by the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society.
Ms. Abiraj’s most significant achievement was her work in health and human rights in India, where she supported women TB survivors and witnessed the discrimination they faced. This experience ignited her passion for human rights advocacy. She credits her success to her support system of family, friends, and mentors, as well as her deep commitment to serving humanity. In the coming years, she plans to conduct investigative research for a nonprofit to inform human rights-driven climate policy, build partnerships to create opportunities for others, and advocate for laws that protect human rights. Her goals include establishing legal pathways for climate refugees, expanding access to climate justice, and raising awareness of the link between the climate crisis and public health.
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