Dr Damian Etone

Dr. Damian Etone is a Senior Lecturer in International Human Rights Law at the University of Stirling. He serves as the Director of the MSc Programme in Human Rights and Diplomacy, a program offered in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Etone holds an LLM (Distinction) in International Criminal/Human Rights Law from Bangor University (2013) and a PhD in International Human Rights Law from the University of Adelaide (2017). Prior to his current role, he was a Lecturer in Law at Staffordshire University and an Associate Law Teacher at the Adelaide Law School, where he taught courses in Foundations of Law, Contract Law, Human Rights, and International Law.

Dr. Etone is a co-founding coordinator of the Universal Periodic Review Academic Network (UPRAN), an international network of scholars focused on the UN’s Universal Periodic Review mechanism. His research expertise centers on international human rights law, with a particular focus on the participation of African states in global human rights mechanisms. He has published extensively, including as an International Criminal Law Case Reporter for Oxford University Press and recently as Editor of the monograph Human Rights and the UN Universal Periodic Review Mechanism: A Research Companion (2024). In 2023, Dr. Etone was appointed as an Academic Adviser to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), where he plays a critical role in assessing the academic merit and development potential of scholarship candidates. He also undertook a visiting scholarship at the University of Ghana Law School in 2023, further enhancing his international academic collaborations.

Dr. Etone has received several prestigious awards and recognitions throughout his career. He was a recipient of the Chevening Scholarship Award (2012-2013), a leadership scholarship funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Beacon of Enlightenment Scholarship Award (2014-2017). At the University of Stirling, he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities at the Student Recognition and Advancing Teaching Excellence (RATE) Awards in 2021 and received a Recognition for Exceptional Contribution in 2022 as part of the University of Stirling Recognition Award Scheme. In 2024, he was awarded funding from the Stirling Fund to implement a Human Rights Movie Screening Project. Dr. Etone has also been nominated for the “Most Innovative and Inspirational Teaching” award in the Student Led Teaching Awards, reflecting his dedication to student engagement and creative pedagogy.

Dr. Damian Etone’s research interests primarily focus on international human rights law, with a particular emphasis on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council and the engagement of African states within this framework. His work explores the interplay between culture, politics, and human rights, examining how these factors influence state compliance and participation in international human rights systems. Dr. Etone also investigates transitional justice, the African regional human rights system, and the effectiveness of international mechanisms in promoting human rights implementation. His research often addresses theoretical challenges to understanding the impact of the UPR, as well as practical aspects such as national consultation processes and the implementation of recommendations. Additionally, he has contributed to scholarship on international criminal law, environmental harm in conflicts, and the role of civil society in human rights advocacy. His publications, including a monograph on the UPR’s impact in Africa and various journal articles, reflect his commitment to advancing knowledge in these areas.

Damian is Director for the MSc Programme in Human Rights and Diplomacy. This Masters programme is taught in conjunction with the UN Institute for Training and Research. Damian is Coordinator for different modules including Human Rights in Practice, Transitional Justice and Human Rights, Dissertation and Human Rights Professional Project.