Jennifer Mohamed-Katerere

Freelance interdisciplinary researcher and analyst

Jennifer Mohamed-Katerere

Freelance interdisciplinary researcher and analyst

Biography

Jennifer Mohamed-Katerere exemplifies a courageous life-long commitment to justice – from the age of 15 she was an activist against apartheid and a student leader. Jennifer, a lawyer by training, began her career as an environmental law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe in 1993. She currently works as a freelance interdisciplinary researcher and analyst focusing on the intersection of conservation & development with human rights and governance. Her work contributes to realizing human dignity, building resilience and wellbeing, and legal recognition of Indigenous People and local communities and their rights while securing sustainable environments. Jennifer has led the development of forward-looking tools and approaches for conflict management, rangeland tenure, natural resource governance and food security with a range of organizations including IUCN, FAO, Open Society Foundation and SADC. In recognition of her contribution to just conservation, Jennifer is an honorary member of the ICCA (Territories of Life) Consortium. She is a member of Riverlea Mining Forum, a community organization of environmental and human rights defenders in Johannesburg that works for environmental justice in mining-degraded lands including by demanding accountability from corporate and state actors and developing alternative futures. From 2016 to 2021, Jennifer served on the IUCN Council as chair of its Governance and Constituency Committee. In this role, she spearheaded improved organizational governance, better engagement of small national NGOs and Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations, gender equality and equity, and greater recognition of the importance of diversity. Jennifer also serves on the Science Advisory Committee of UNECA’s Climate for Development initiative, the Advisory Council of USAID’s Advancing Rights in Southern Africa programme and the Board of Trustees of TRAFFIC International. Jennifer is a member of two specialist Commissions of IUCN – one focused on social policy and the other on environmental law. Jennifer has an established publication record in diverse environmental areas related to human rights and justice.