Funke Adeoye
Oluwafunke Adeoye (Popularly known as Funke Adeoye) is a Nigerian Lawyer, Human rights defender, and Social Innovator. [1][2][3][4]
Oluwafunke Adeoye | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1 March 1992 |
| Other names | Funke Adeoye |
| Alma mater | University of Benin Lagos Business School Lagos Business School (LBS) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Founder Hope behind bars Africa |
| Website | hopebehindbarsafrica |
She is the Founder and Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, an organization that promotes human rights and criminal justice reforms using legal aid, research, evidence based advocacy and tech.[5][6][7]
Funke pioneered Made in Corrections, a social enterprise aimed at preventing recidivism by empowering incarcerated women and young persons in Nigeria.[8][9][10]
Early life
changeAdeoye was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, but she grew up in Lagos. She holds an LLB from University of Benin and has attended two flagship programs for non-profit leaders at Lagos Business School (LBS) and masters in International Human Rights Law at University of Oxford.[7][11]
Career
changeAdeoye started as a legal Associate at Olumide Sofowora SAN Chambers. She transited into the social justice space when she moved to Abuja and began volunteering for Amnesty International.[11][12]
She founded Hope behind bars Africa in 2018, an organization that provides free legal services and direct support to indigent individuals in contact with the criminal justice system while promoting reforms through research, evidence-based advocacy and technology. Over 7,000 justice-involved individuals has benefitted from their interventions. She has championed several campaigns including the campaign to decriminalize poverty. [5][13][14] [15] [16]
Funke facilitated the capacity development training of over 300 grassroot organizations on regulatory compliance. She also engaged the Upper Chamber of Nigeria’s parliament on the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020, a legislation that could impact negatively on the civic space.[17][18]
In 2021, after the ban on Twitter by Nigerian government's, she led the campaign at ECOWAS Court to uplift the ban.[8]
She Co-authored “Legal Representation for Indigent Pre-trial Detainees” that gained recognition from Federal Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Council.[5]
Awards and Recognition
changeShe is a 2019 LEAP Africa Social Innovation Fellow, a 2022 CivicHive fellow and a One Young World Ambassador. She is also a (TFAA ) Future Africa Finalist for Advocacy , a 100 Leading Ladies Africa Honoree and a 2023 Acumen West Africa Fellow. She won the Dragons Den Prize at Unleash Plus Innovation Bootcamp in Mysore, India.[1][4][9]
In 2023, She won Global Citizen Prize[19] and was selected for the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship and was listed by Attic London as one of the lawyers changing the world for the better in 2020.[1][3]
Personal life
changeFunke christian faith positively impacts on her zeal to fight for incarcerated persons. She lives in Abuja, Nigeria, with her husband and two sons.[5]
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Access to justice and human rights protection Nigeria". 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
- ↑ "Funke Adeoye of Hope Behind Bars Africa is the Lawyer Who's Helping Prison Inmates Get Justice & Advocating for Reforms". 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Funke Adeoye Human Rights Defender". 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Oluwafunke Adeoye". 2022-07-08. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Famous Female African human rights lawyers". 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ↑ "Prison Congestion: FG, others urged to activate Non-Custodial Special Fund". 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Providing Access to justice". 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "How Human Rights Lawyer Is Providing Legal Aid In Nigeria". 2023-01-12. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Woman Crush Wednesday: Oluwafunke Adeoye". 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
- ↑ "Most awaiting-trial inmates detained for loitering, hawking: says NGO". 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Funke Adeoye Founded Hope Behind Bars 5 Years Ago It Has 'Rescued' 416 Innocent Inmates From Prison". 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ↑ "Prison Reforms: NGOs Seek Implementation Of Non-Custodial Service". 2023-04-05. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ↑ "Group empowers 102 female inmates". 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
- ↑ "Funke Adeoye, The Lawyer Who's Helping Prison Inmates Get Justice & Advocating For Reforms". 2022-03-11. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- ↑ "recognizes 20 Leading Nigerian Women in Commemoration of the International Women's Day and Women's month 2021". 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
- ↑ "Meet the 2023 Cohort of West Africa Acumen Fellows". 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
- ↑ "Innocent Nigerians languishing in prison for petty crimes – Group". 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
- ↑ "Hope Behind Bars, Legend Golden Care Foundation Unveil Initiative For Speedy Dispensation Of Justice". 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
- ↑ "Global citizen award". 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-01-23.