E

mmanuel KAMONYO is a member of the Quebec Bar. He practices in immigration and refugee law as well as in international human rights law at the law firm Stewart ISTVANFFY.

He holds a law degree from the University of Montreal (Quebec, Canada) and a master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratization from the European Inter-University Center (EIUC), Venice, Italy. He holds a law degree (LL. B) from the Independent University of Kigali (U.L.K), Rwanda.

He has worked with Open Society Foundations to support and advise vulnerable, stigmatised and/or criminalised groups to claim their rights before both judicial and administrative bodies in sub-Saharan Africa.

In previous international experience, he has worked with international organisations where he has supported civil society organisations’ initiatives in the East African region, often for marginalised and/or criminalised groups, to advance health and human rights using legal remedies such as strategic litigation as a viable means of advancing public health for vulnerable groups such as people who use drugs, sex workers, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities.

He has previously worked with UNDP in Sudan as a Rule of Law Officer and has also served as a legal advisor to the Ministry of Health in Rwanda. He has been a board member of various organisations such as the Rwanda Men’s Resource Center (RWAMREC).

He is currently a board member of the Montreal LGBTQ+ Community Centre since April 2022

Emmanuel is also involved in promoting access to palliative care for pain relief as a human right on the African continent.