Catherine Miano
Nairobi
Summary
Human rights lawyer and protection specialist with 10+ years of experience advancing gender justice, legal protection, and access to rights for vulnerable populations across East Africa. Experienced in legal research, policy analysis, and multi-stakeholder advocacy addressing trafficking, sexual exploitation, and protection risks affecting women, children, and displaced communities. Proven ability to collaborate with governments, civil society organizations, and UN agencies to strengthen legal frameworks, support survivor-centered approaches, and contribute to evidence-based advocacy and policy reform. Skilled in coalition building, legal documentation, advocacy reporting, and engagement with regional and international human rights mechanisms.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Protection Associate
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Kakuma
03.2022 - 11.2025
- Applied international refugee law and Kenyan legal frameworks to protection cases involving vulnerable populations, including women and children at risk of exploitation and trafficking.
- Conducted legal analysis and documentation supporting refugee status processes, protection interventions, and policy recommendations related to displacement and statelessness.
- Led multi-agency border monitoring missions examining risks of trafficking and exploitation affecting asylum-seeking women and children along regional migration routes.
- Engaged government authorities and civil society organizations to strengthen legal documentation systems, facilitating issuance of 20,000+ birth certificates and improving access to legal identity and justice.
- Contributed legal analysis to national refugee regulatory reforms, strengthening legal protections for displaced persons.
Child Protection Coordinator
Save the Children
Dadaab
02.2021 - 02.2022
- Led case management processes addressing child protection violations including exploitation, abuse, and trafficking vulnerabilities in refugee settings.
- Coordinated with UN agencies, government authorities, and NGOs to strengthen multi-agency protection and justice responses.
- Produced analytical reports on protection trends affecting vulnerable children, informing advocacy and programmatic responses.
- Supported development of protection strategies integrating survivor-centered and best-interest approaches.
- Facilitated capacity-building initiatives for government and civil society actors on child protection systems and legal safeguards.
Administrator
Pitch a Dream Organization
Nairobi
08.2012 - 02.2021
- Coordinated education and mentorship initiatives promoting access to opportunities for marginalized youth.
- Managed programme budgets, grant reporting, and donor relations.
- Led community outreach and partnership initiatives supporting vulnerable communities.
Atlas Corps Fellow
Buffett Institute for Global Studies, Northwestern University
Chicago
05.2017 - 09.2018
- Coordinated global leadership and policy engagement programmes for student fellows focused on international development and social justice.
- Managed $100,000 in grant programmes, supporting research and advocacy initiatives across global regions.
- Conducted programme evaluations and research analysis to strengthen global engagement strategies.
Refugee Status Determination Assistant
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Nairobi
10.2016 - 05.2017
- Conducted 150+ refugee status interviews, applying international refugee law and human rights principles to produce legal protection recommendations.
- Provided legal counselling to asylum seekers on protection procedures and access to services.
- Collaborated with government and civil society partners to strengthen referral pathways for vulnerable refugees.
- Contributed legal documentation and case analysis supporting protection decision-making and backlog reduction.
- Supported reporting and policy analysis related to refugee protection frameworks.
Akili Dada Fellow
Akili Dada Organization
Nairobi
03.2016 - 10.2016
Connection Challenge Fellow
Do School
Berlin
01.2016 - 03.2016
Resettlement Intern
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
01.2015 - 07.2015
- Coordinated resettlement casework, managed data entry, tracked cases, responded to inquiries, supported BID meetings, and reported on refugee law and policy issues to maintain compliance and effective service delivery.
Education
Bachelor of Laws -
University of Nairobi
12-2015
Master of Arts - International Relations
University of Nairobi
12-2026
Data Science -
Moringa Institute
02-2026
Skills
- Legal Research and Human Rights Analysis
- Strategic Litigation and Legal Advocacy
- Gender Justice and Survivor-Centered ApproachesTrafficking and Sexual Exploitation PreventionPolicy Analysis and Legal Reform Advocacy
- Regional and International Human Rights Frameworks
- Coalition Building with Civil Society and Governments
- Advocacy Campaign Development
Stakeholder Engagement and Movement Building - Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) for Advocacy
- Grant Deliverables Tracking and Programme Reporting
Certification
- UNHCR Data Academy - Introduction to Data Analysis, E-learning (Learn & Connect), 06/25
- Development Engagement, E-learning (Learn & Connect), 05/25
- Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) - [Multilanguage], E-learning (Learn & Connect), 10/22
- Protection Induction Programme, Curriculum (Learn & Connect), 09/22
- Information Security Awareness Training, E-learning (Learn & Connect), 07/22
- Fundamentals of Fraud and Corruption Awareness, E-learning (Learn & Connect), 06/22
- Management of Child Protection Services, Kenya School of Government & UNICEF, 10/21
Projects
Border Monitoring and Refugee Protection Initiative – Turkana County
- Led a multi-agency border monitoring initiative examining trafficking, exploitation, and protection risks affecting asylum seekers along Kenya’s borders.
- Conducted field research documenting protection gaps affecting Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees.
- Convened capacity-building forums for immigration and police officials on the Refugees Act 2021 and Refugee Regulations 2024.
- Strengthened coordination between government and humanitarian actors to prevent refoulement and exploitation
Human Rights Advocacy Engagement
- Contributed analysis for UNICEF’s global #ENDViolence campaign, synthesizing youth perspectives from multiple countries to inform global child protection strategies.
- Supported advocacy communications with UN Volunteers (UNV) highlighting human rights and development initiatives.
Timeline
Protection Associate
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
03.2022 - 11.2025
Child Protection Coordinator
Save the Children
02.2021 - 02.2022
Atlas Corps Fellow
Buffett Institute for Global Studies, Northwestern University
05.2017 - 09.2018
Refugee Status Determination Assistant
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
10.2016 - 05.2017
Akili Dada Fellow
Akili Dada Organization
03.2016 - 10.2016
Connection Challenge Fellow
Do School
01.2016 - 03.2016
Resettlement Intern
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
01.2015 - 07.2015
Administrator
Pitch a Dream Organization
08.2012 - 02.2021
Bachelor of Laws -
University of Nairobi
Master of Arts - International Relations
University of Nairobi
Data Science -
Moringa Institute