IOC Advisory Committee on Human Rights

The Advisory Committee’s mission is to provide strategic guidance to the IOC and advise on the implementation of the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights.

Approved by the IOC Executive Board (EB) in September, the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights covers and provides specific action plans for each of the IOC’s three spheres of activity:

the IOC as an organisation;
the IOC as owner of the Olympic Games; and
the IOC as leader of the Olympic Movement.

The IOC Advisory Committee on Human Rights was created in 2018 as a direct result of Olympic Agenda 2020. It is composed of a majority of independent external experts, alongside athletes and IOC Members.

All have been selected for their knowledge of sport and human rights. Seven are women and three are men, coming from all continents.

An ambitious mission

The IOC Advisory Committee on Human Rights is a key instrument to help the IOC meet its human rights responsibilities and address the organisation’s salient human rights risks through a comprehensive strategic approach and policy.

Its task is to:

Advise the IOC Session, EB and the IOC President on human rights matters to enable them to make informed, balanced decisions in line with the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights
Provide strategic advice and input on priority human rights topics and related activities as identified in the Strategic Framework.
Provide a constructive review of the Strategic Framework, policies and progress reports, and make recommendations when needed.
Advise on ways to minimise human rights risks in the context of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement.
Suggest major institutions that could support the IOC in achieving its human rights objectives.
Advise the IOC on the interpretation of the UNGPs within the Olympic remit.

Please click here for the Terms of Reference.

Composition

Chair

Ms Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA is the former Executive Director of UN Women with the rank of Under-Secretary General of the United Nations. She served in that role from 2013 until 2021. In addition to her role at UN Women, Mrs Mlambo Ngcuka served a two-year term as member of the World Bank group Advisory Council on Gender and Development from 2015 until 2017. Ms Mlambo Ngcuka served as Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008, the first woman to hold the position and at that point the highest-ranking woman in the history of South Africa.

IOC Members

Mrs Dagmawit Girmay BERHANE is an Ethiopian sports administrator who served as President of the Ethiopian Olympic Committee from 2004 and 2008, and has held and still holds various positions at the national, continental, and international levels of sports federations and within the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), from 2009 until today. Mrs Berhane joined the IOC as a member in 2013 and currently sits on the Audit Committee and the following commissions: IOC Members Election, Finance, Coordination of the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad Paris 2024 and Coordination of the Games of the XXXV Olympiad Brisbane 2032, and on the WADA Foundation Board. Professionally, Mrs Berhane is an advocate of health and sexual reproductive health rights through the promotion of maternal health and family planning.
Mr Luis Alberto MORENO is currently the Managing Director at Allen & Co., a private investment bank. Prior to holding this position, Mr Moreno served as President of the Inter-American Development Bank from 2005 until 2020. Mr Moreno was Colombia’s Ambassador to the United States from 1998 until 2005. Mr Moreno joined the IOC as a member in 2016, and has been the IOC’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations since 2019. He chairs the Public Affairs and Corporate Communications Commission and is a member of the following ones: Digital and Technology, Olympism 365 and Coordination for the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad Los Angeles 2028.
Ms Sarah WALKER, OLY is an Olympian in BMX from New Zealand (Beijing 2008 and London 2012). She was the second Vice-Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission (2022-2024). She currently serves on the following IOC commissions: Esports, Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad, and Technology and Technical Innovation. She was the Chair of the working group to develop the Olympic AI Agenda (2023-2024).

External independent members

Ms Rebeca GRYNSPAN is a Costa Rican economist who has been serving as Secretary General (SG) of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) since 13 September 2021. Before that, she held various official positions in the UN system and in her country – including as Vice-President and Coordinating Minister of Social Affairs of Costa Rica (1994-1998).
Ms Alexandra GUÁQUETA is a Colombian national who currently leads the global social impact and human rights function at a multinational consultancy firm that focuses on sustainability. Prior to her current role, Ms Guaqueta held various positions related to social standards – including as a member of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (2011-2015).
Dr Seree NONTHASOOT is a human rights expert whose work has been widely recognised in both Thailand and ASEAN. He served in the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) as Thailand’s representative from 2013 to 2018, during which time he pioneered AICHR’s work on business and human rights and supported engagement with civil society. On 14 September 2020, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) elected him to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) for the 2021-2024 term.
Mr Seung Min RYU, OLY is an Olympic champion in table tennis from South Korea (Athens 2004). He was the first Vice-Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission (2021-2024). In addition, he served on the following IOC commissions: Sustainability and Legacy, Olympic Education, Olympic Programme and Coordination of the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad Los Angeles 2028, and currently sits on the Board of Directors of Olympic Channel Services S.L. (Spain).
Ms Sylvia SCHENK, OLY bridges the worlds of sport, human rights and integrity. She was Senior Advisor for Sport at Transparency International, and previously served as the President of the German Cycling Federation and as a member of the Management Committee of the International Cycling Union. She chairs the Working Group on Sport at Transparency International (TI) Germany. A former athlete and a lawyer by training, specialising in Compliance and Human Rights, Ms Schenk has a good relationship with civil society actors active in the world of sport, and is currently a member of the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA).
Ms Lene WENDLAND is the Chief Officer in the Business and Human Rights Unit at the UN OHCHR in Geneva. She is an expert on the UNGPs. Her office produces interpretive advice, guidance and training relating to the dissemination and implementation of the UNGPs for states, business, civil society and other relevant stakeholders. Ms Wendland has advised sport bodies on their human rights strategies in the past.

Director in charge

Director of Corporate and Sustainable Development

Meetings

Key updates received and topics discussed during the IOC Advisory Committee on Human Rights meetings: