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Experts on countries of origin by country

Bennett-Jones, Owen

Writer on Pakistan with world-respected knowledge of the country's militants, military, intelligence services, ethnic groups and political parties, including the MQM. He has worked for the BBC and was a visiting Professor at Princeton University and USC

Occupation: Writer on Pakistan.
Countries of expertise: Pakistan

Beyer, Judith

The Expert is a Full Professor of Social and Political Anthropology at the University of Konstanz in Germany.

Occupation: Legal Anthropologist
Countries of expertise: Bangladesh (Rohingya only), India (Rohingya only), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Birchall, John

The Expert reads all relevant papers relating to a client free of charge and produces a short report on the case details. He relates these to the evidence already given and how he considers the subsequent hearing will be influenced by these. He rejects requests, if he feels there is very little chance of the client being offered permission to remain. He accepts payment in instalments.

Occupation: Lecturer in Development Economics
Countries of expertise: Cameroon, Congo (Republic of), Cote d`Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Bluth, Christoph

Professor of International Studies at the University of Leeds with extensive knowledge of the human rights situation and asylum matters relating to political persecution and trafficking. Particular experience and expertise in relation to Vietnamese refugees (political activists, victims of trafficking and persons persecuted for religious activities, Chinese asylum seekers (adherents of persecuted religious groups, political activists and victims of trafficking), and applicants from Pakistan (applicants facing threats in relation to family honour,  issues relating to the blasphemy laws, sexual orientation, applicants facing threats from terrorists and due to their political activities such as members of the UKPNP). I am acknowledged as a leading expert on the Korean peninsula (North Korea and South Korea).  I also have considerable expertise in matters relating to asylum seekers from Iraq and Iran in relation to family honour, political activism and religious persecution. Among numerous publications, reference can be made to the book Security, Culture and Human Rights in South Asia and the Middle East, Global Research Publications 2019, a guide for country experts on the regions.

Occupation: Professor of International Studies, University of Leeds; Visiting Professor at Yonsei University, Seoul 2005.
Countries of expertise: China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Vietnam

Boesten, Jelke

Jelke Boesten is an interdisciplinary social scientist trained as a historian. She has 25 years of research experience in Peru, focusing on gender-based violence, women and the state/state policy, conflict-related sexual violence, and the internal armed conflict of the 1980s and 1990s.

Occupation: Professor of Gender and Development
Countries of expertise: Peru

Bonta, Mark

I am a Latin Americanist geographer and an expert on Honduras, where I have lived and worked off and on since 1991. My PhD is from Louisiana State University (2001), Master's from University of Texas, and B.A. from Penn State. I have taught in several universities in the US and China, and am currently an independent consultant. I am an an author on over 50 professional publications and have given around 100 presentations, many related to Honduras. My main contributions to the academic literature include the historical and spatial dimensions of land- and identity-based conflicts in Honduras, relationships between people and the environment (particularly ethno-ornithology and ethnobotany), and the development of theory for applying the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari to research in the social sciences. In addition to publishing, I consult to community groups in Honduras and Mexico on a range of topics related to environmental and social struggles.

I have served as a country of origin expert for Honduras since 2001 in a total of 13 cases, for all of which I have prepared reports based on original ethnographic research. All of the cases I have worked on involved Hondurans in the US seeking asylum, withholding of removal, or relief under the Convention Against Torture.… Read more

Occupation: independent consultant
Countries of expertise: Honduras

Boswell, Rosabelle

Rose (Rosabelle) Boswell is an anthropologist. From 2021 she has served as the South African Research Chair in Ocean Cultures and Heritage. She has an MA Anthropology from the University of Cape Town and a PhD from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. She is author of several books and anthologies. She has conducted anthropological research in Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles, Zanzibar, South Africa, Kenya and Namibia. Since 2008, she has assisted in immigration asylum cases by drafting Country of Origin expert reports. She is currently writing a new book entitled Humanizing the Blue Era in Africa. She also conceived a science-to-business project to mainstream cultural heritage in ocean management, called The Blue Values Journey Project. Her research tackles a diversity of issues (i.e., inequality, gender discrimination, race, socioeconomic change) arising from the emerging social worlds of southern Africa and the southwest Indian Ocean.  

Occupation: Professor of Anthropology
Countries of expertise: Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania

Bowring, Prof. Bill

Barrister and academic, with extensive research, publishing and advisory experience in former Soviet Union and other countries, fluent in Russian

Occupation: Barrister; Emeritus Professor of Law, Birkbeck College, University of London
Countries of expertise: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Boyer, Leon

Leon Boyer is an expert in Mexico security conditions with over 24 years of service in the United States Border Patrol. Throughout his career, he held various leadership roles, including at the U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters’ Intelligence Division, where he contributed to national security efforts and intelligence operations. As the Director of United Voices Interpreting and Consulting, LLC, Mr. Boyer provides expert consultation and witness services on topics such as transnational criminal organizations, narcotics and human trafficking, alien smuggling, migration trends, and security conditions, with a specialized focus on Mexico. Mr. Boyer serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Social Science Division at St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron, Michigan, and in the Public Service Institute at Macomb Community College in Clinton Township, Michigan. He develops and lectures courses in Political Science, Homeland Security, Intelligence Analysis and Security Management, and Border Security, shaping the next generation of security professionals. Mr. Boyer holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Arizona, a Master of Arts in International Relations and Conflict Resolution from American Military University, and a Master of Science… Read more

Occupation:
Countries of expertise: Mexico

Braham, Abbass

Occupation: Visiting Assistant Professor of History, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Countries of expertise: Algeria, Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal

Braud, Esther

Esther S. Braud is a strategic and mission-driven leader in global health, and program management, with more than 25 years of experience designing and implementing large-scale public health initiatives. She has a strong track record in social and behavior change (SBC), public health in emergencies, capacity-building, and program evaluation, working across Africa, Asia, and humanitarian contexts.

As a Senior Advisor for Social and Behavior Change at USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS, Esther provided technical and programmatic leadership to optimize HIV prevention effortsacross PEPFAR countries. She has successfully managed multi-million-dollar global health programs, ensuring strategic alignment, operational efficiency, and sustainable impact. She also oversaw budget planning and resource mobilization to support SBC-focused initiatives, including end-user research to develop innovative HIV prevention solutions. Previously, as Senior Liaison for Risk Communication and Preparedness at UNICEF, Esther managed a USAID-funded grant for community engagement in humanitarian settings, overseeing programmatic direction, financial operations, and donor reporting. At JSI Research & Training Institute, she led the West Africa portfolio for a USAID global nutrition… Read more

Occupation:
Countries of expertise: Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo (Republic of), Cote d`Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Lesotho, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda

Buchanan, Cate

Cate Buchanan specializes in mediation and process design, and inclusive conflict analysis. Country foci in 2025 are Burma/Myanmar and Thailand. Previously, from 2015-17, she was Senior Adviser to the Nyein (Shalom) Foundation Myanmar supporting national dialogues and peace negotiation approaches. In 2018/19 she was a member of the UN Mediation Support Unit’s Standby Team of Experts. In 2020/21 she was a Senior Adviser to the Office of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen. Over 2021-2024, along with other consultancy works, Cate was Conflict Adviser to the Myanmar Livelihoods and Food Security Fund. From 2001-2013, she was a Programme Manager and Senior Adviser with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. In 2025, Cate manages an initiative to eliminate conflict-related sexual violence in Myanmar as well as a peace coaching process. She also provides advice to the European Institute for Peace; UN Women Afghanistan; the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Support Unit for Gender Equality and others. 

Occupation: Analyst, Adviser, Coach
Countries of expertise: Myanmar, Thailand

Bulled, Dr. Nicola

Nicola Bulled is a public health anthropologist. Her scholarship interrogates health inequalities, using mixed methods to examine the intersection of biology with the social to offer multi-level perspectives on public health programming, service delivery, and policy. Her specific fields of interest include HIV, infectious diseases, disease prevention technologies, health communication, and community collaboration.  She has engaged in research and public health programming in South Africa, Lesotho, Liberia, Greece, and the United States. Her research has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Fulbright IIE. 

Occupation: Public health anthropologist
Countries of expertise: Greece, Lesotho, Liberia, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America

Bussmann, Dr Gus

I am a Law and DEI expert with 15+ years of experience and intersectional background. I have presence on: Walpole, GQ Heroes, MBS & British Council of Fashion, Attitude Magazine, quoted by Vogue Business and Boston Consultancy Group. I teach at Instituto Marangoni and have extensive experience in: LGBTQ+ Rights, Human Rights in Latin America, Political Landscape of Brazil and Latin American Countries, Law and Politics. 

Occupation: Expert in Human Rights, LGBTQ+ Rights and Latin American Countries.
DEI consultant
Countries of expertise: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Butter, Inge

Inge Butter holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and is a specialist on Chad and aspects of the Central African Republic (CAR). She has spent most of her professional career working for and affiliated with the African Studies Centre in Leiden, the Netherlands. She has 10 years of experience setting up research projects, carrying out fieldwork, analyzing results, monitoring and evaluating the process, as well as putting together reports for a variety of audiences. For the PhD, a total of 12 months of fieldwork were carried out over a period of three years, in both urban and rural locations in Chad and CAR. In that time, she became part of a strong network of local Chadian professionals. Inge’s areas of interest include (post)conflict dynamics and how these play out in an everyday setting, understanding local and trans-national socio-economic networks, and the interplay of insecurity and belonging. Her past research in Chad and CAR focussed on Arab nomads. While currently based in the USA, she is working on proposals for projects in Anglophone Cameroon, and publishing her PhD thesis as a book with De Gruyter.

Occupation: Anthropologist
Countries of expertise: Central African Republic, Chad

Cabi, Dr Marouf

Historian, specialised in the history, politics and cultures of Iran and the Kurds.

Occupation: Tutor in history (BA; MA; M.Litt.; PhD)
Countries of expertise: Iran

Cameron, Dr Hazel

Dr Hazel CameronExperienced expert witness and author of country reports for courts and tribunals nationally and internationally.Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, BotswanaArbitrary Arrest And Detention; Child Trafficking; Country Case Law; Criminal Justice System; Criminal Justice System; Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage; Economy; Education; Employment; Ethnic Groups; Food Security Identification On Return; Gender Based Violence; Gender Based Violence; Gross Violations Of Human Rights Perpetrated By State Security Forces; Health Care; Health Insurance; Housing; Human Trafficking; Internal Relocation; LGBTIQ+; Mental Health Services; Opposition Politics And Election Violence; Organ Trafficking; Policing; Political Violence; Prison Conditions; Rape; Risks Of Re-Trafficking; Social Groups; State Sponsored Violence; Sufficiency Of Protection; Torture And Sexual Violence; Trafficking For Ransom; Trafficking Routes; Witness Protection; Risks On Return.RwandaLGBTIQ+; Human Trafficking; Organ Trafficking; Risks of Re-Trafficking; Sufficiency of Protection; Trafficking for Ransom; Trafficking Routes.Africa Human Trafficking; Organ Trafficking; Risks of Re-Trafficking; Sufficiency of Protection; Trafficking for Ransom; Trafficking Routes.
Occupation: Academic Consultant
Countries of expertise: Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo (Republic of), Cote d`Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Carruth, Lauren

Lauren Carruth is an Assistant Professor at the School of International Service at American University who provides testimony regularly on country conditions in the Horn of Africa. She is a medical anthropologist, gender specialist, and migration specialist with expertise in Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Haiti.

Occupation: Associate Professor, School of International Service, American
University
Countries of expertise: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia

Carter, Simone

Simone Elyse Carter is a public health and humanitarian expert with over 15 years of experience in outbreak analytics, research coordination, and strategic leadership. She currently serves as the Lead for Integrated Outbreak Analytics (IOA) at UNICEF, providing technical guidance and capacity strengthening for emergency response efforts worldwide.

Throughout her career, Simone has played a key role in developing data-driven solutions for complex health crises, leading interdisciplinary teams, and fostering global partnerships. Her work has included chairing the IOA working group under the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) and overseeing systematic research dissemination to improve outbreak response strategies.

Previously, Simone managed the Integrated Analytics Cell (CAI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she contributed to the development of evidence-based response mechanisms during public health emergencies. Her expertise spans epidemiology, humanitarian coordination, and policy development, making her a vital resource in advancing data-informed decision-making in crisis contexts.

Occupation: Lead of Integrated Outbreak Analytics (IOA); Operational Research Manager Specialising in Complex Crises & Emergencies
Countries of expertise: Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Republic of), Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Iraq, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Nepal, Netherlands, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Uganda

Chaudhary, Dr. Nishu

The Expert is a Sub-Saharan Africa specialist with extensive experience in Country Operations Management, Resource Mobilization, Business Development, Communications and Advocacy across multiple countries with leading international NGOs.

Occupation: The Expert is a Sub-Saharan Africa specialist with extensive experience in Country Operations Management, Resource Mobilization, Business Development, Communications and Advocacy across multiple countries with leading international NGOs. She holds a Ph.D. in Grief Counseling, American International Theism University, Florida, The United States (2020- 2023).
Countries of expertise: Djibouti, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia