Mikiko Otani

Mikiko Otani
In a UNOHCHR video in 2021
Born (1964-11-18) November 18, 1964
CitizenshipJapan
OccupationsFormer Chairperson & Member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child
International Human Rights Lawyer
Academic background
EducationSophia University (LLB)
Columbia University (MIA)
University of Tokyo (LLM)
Aoyama Gakuin University (Doctor of Law)
ThesisRight to Remedies of Child Victims of Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (2020)
Academic work
DisciplineHuman rights law
Sub-discipline
Child law
InstitutionsLeiden University
Main interests
Children's rights, juvenile criminal justice, privacy of children,human rights

Mikiko Otani (born November 18, 1964) is a Japanese international human rights lawyer, and women's and children's rights advocate.[1] She has been a member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) since 2017 and served as its chairperson from May 2021 to May 2023[2] succeeding Ann Marie Skelton. She is the Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children's Rights (2023/2024) at Leiden University.[3]

Otani is a trustee at 5Rights Foundation,[4] an organisation founded by Baroness Beeban Kidron to promote the rights of the child online.

Early life and education

She was born in Osaka Prefecture.[5] She obtained a Bachelor of Law (LL.B) in international legal studies from Sophia University in Japan in 1987[6] and a Master of International and Public Affairs (M.I.A) in human rights and humanitarian affairs from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs in the United States in 1999,[6][7] Master of Law (LL.M) in public international law from University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Law and Politics in Japan in 2003.[6][7]

She completed her Doctor of Law in public international law from Aoyama Gakuin University, Graduate School of Law in Japan,[8][9] and received a PhD in Law in 2020 with the dissertation titled "Right to Remedies of Child Victims of Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law".[9]

Career

Otani started her career as a practicing lawyer (attorney at law) when she was admitted to the Tokyo Bar Association in 1990.[7][10] While practicing law, she has actively been involved in NGO activities for international human rights work for children and women in Japan and Asia-Pacific. She served as a mediator at the Tokyo Family Court since 2003.[10] She was appointed as an alternate representative of the Japanese delegation to the 60th and 61st General Assembly in 2005 and 2006, as a Vice-President of the Japan Women’s Bar Association at the time.[11][12]

In 2016, she was nominated by the government of Japan as a candidate for a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, a treaty monitoring body for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.[13][14] In 2017, she became the first Japanese member of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Committee.[15]

In May 2021, she was elected as Chairperson of the CRC for the term from May 2021 to May 2023.[16] During the chairperson’s term, she actively supported the promotion of mainstreaming of child rights throughout the United Nations system.[17]

She currently holds leadership positions in child rights and human rights civil society organizations, which include President of Child Rights Connect,[18] a member of the Board of Trustees of the Child Rights Coalition Asia,[19] Commissioner and a member of the Executive Committee of the International Commission of Jurists.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Membership - Committee on the Rights of the Child". OHCHR. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  2. ↑ "AICHR holds 4th ASEAN Dialogue on UN Convention on children's rights". AICHR. July 10, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Dr. Mikiko Otani as the Rotating Honorary Chair Enforcement of Children's Rights 2023/2024 at the Department of Child Law". Leiden University. August 31, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  4. ↑ "About us". 5rights. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  5. ↑ "国連子どもの権利委員会前委員長・大谷美紀子さん（５９）：地域ニュース : 読売新聞" [[Children's Rights] <Part 2> It's ok not to be like others... Mikiko Otani (59), former Chairperson of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child] (in Japanese). January 14, 2024. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Speaker Details: UN Global Compact Leaders Summit". events.unglobalcompact.org. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "Mikiko Otani" (PDF). Tokyo Bar Association (in Japanese).
  8. ↑ "Mikiko Otani | Information, Knowledge & Opinion - imidas". 情報・知識＆オピニオン imidas (in Japanese). Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  9. 1 2 大谷, 美紀子 (2020). CiNii Doctoral Thesis - The right to redress for child victims of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law (Thesis thesis) (in Japanese). Aoyama Gakuin University. Archived from the original on February 7, 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Mikiko Otani - Search Details | International Academy of Family Lawyers | IAFL". www.iafl.com. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  11. ↑ "List of delegations to the 60th session of the General Assembly". United Nations Digital Library. October 14, 2005.
  12. ↑ "List of delegations to the 61st session of the General Assembly". United Nations Digital Library. October 6, 2006.
  13. ↑ "Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary 2016 | Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet". japan.kantei.go.jp. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Meeting of States Parties Elects 9 Members to Child Rights Committee in Secret Balloting, Appoints Chairperson by Acclamation | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". press.un.org. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Mikiko Otani voted first Japanese on U.N. committee for children's rights". Mainichi Daily News. August 21, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Committee on the Rights of the Child Opens Online Eighty-Seventh Session, Elects New Chairperson and Bureau | The United Nations Office at Geneva". www.ungeneva.org. May 17, 2021. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  17. ↑ Chappuis, Fanny (October 8, 2021). "The CRC Chair called for child rights mainstreaming during the UN General Assembly". Child Rights Connect. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Child Rights Connect - Executive Committee". Child Rights Connect. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Secretariat and Board". Child Rights Coalition Asia. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  20. ↑ "The Commission | ICJ". International Commission of Jurists. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
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