Dr. Cecile Aptel

Dr. Cécile Aptel is Deputy Director of UNIDIR. She has over 20 years’ experience in international affairs, working for several UN entities, universities and NGOs on legal, policy, international security and humanitarian issues. Prior to joining UNIDIR, she served as a Chief in the UN Human Rights Office, and before that as Director and Acting Under-Secretary General at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Professor Aptel, who holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Geneva and master’s degrees from the College of Europe and Trinity College Dublin, is also a professor of international law and recognized for her expertise in international humanitarian law, criminal law, transitional justice, and human rights, notably child rights. She is the author of over 30 publications and has taught at the Fletcher School, Pretoria, and Harvard. She is fluent in French and English.