Jonathan Todres appointed as Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights 2024/2025
Leiden University is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Jonathan Todres as the Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights for the academic year 2024/2025 at the Department of Child Law and Health Law of Leiden Law School.
Professor Jonathan Todres is Distinguished University Professor and the Catherine C. Henson Professor of Law at Georgia State University College of Law in the United States, and is renowned for his extensive work on children’s rights. His research encompasses children’s rights law, human rights education, youth participation, and human trafficking. In addition to his academic work, he serves as an advisor for NGOs dedicated to children’s rights and well-being. Moreover, he chairs the Board on Children, Youth, and Families of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the US. His appointment reflects Leiden University’s ongoing commitment to advancing global research and education in children’s rights.
The Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights is a prestigious position designed to promote the study and advocacy of children’s rights by inviting leading experts in the field to contribute their expertise. This role, supported by the Kroese-Duijsters Fund and the Leiden University Fund, continues to attract eminent scholars who advance the department’s mission. Previous holders of this position have included distinguished scholars such as Professor Ann Skelton (chairperson of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and currently Leiden University chair on children’s rights in a sustainable world and Programme Director of the Master of Laws Advanced Studies in International Children's Rights at Leiden University) and Professor Ursula Kilkelly (Vice-president Global Engagelment - University College Cork) and Dr Mikiko Otani (former chairperson and current member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child). Their contributions have significantly enriched the department’s commitment and role in advancing international children’s rights.
Professor Ton Liefaard, Head of the Department of Child Law and Health Law and the UNICEF Chair in Children’s Rights at Leiden University, remarked: 'We are thrilled to welcome Professor Jonathan Todres as the Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights for 2024/2025. His profound commitment to children’s rights and extensive legal expertise align perfectly with our department's mission. We look forward to the inspiration and impact his tenure will bring.'
Professor Todres expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment, stating: 'I am honoured to accept the role of Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights at Leiden University. I am excited to collaborate with colleagues across the Department of Child Law and Health law and the university to address pressing issues in children’s rights. I am also looking forward to engaging with students and supporting their academic and professional development.'
Professor Todres’s appointment underscores Leiden University’s commitment to advancing legal scholarship and promoting children’s rights worldwide. In the upcoming academic year, he will engage with teaching, supervision of students and research together with Leiden colleagues.
