For Immediate Release
Jeffrey Buchanan
202-463-7575 ext 241

Monika Kalra Varma, Named Director of RFK Memorial Center for Human Rights

Washington, DC April 16th, 2007— Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Executive Director Lynn Delaney, today announced the appointment of Monika Kalra Varma, as the new Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights (RFK Center). Ms. Varma currently serves as Acting Director of RFK Center having worked with the organization for over 4 years, previously serving as Program Director.

"We are fortunate to have Monika at the helm of the Center. She has played a pivotal role in transforming cutting edge economic and social rights concepts into some of our most successful and dynamic programs." Lynn Delaney said. “Under Monika's leadership we will continue to make an even greater impact on the movement for human rights.”

Ms. Varma will direct the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial’s Center for Human Rights, overseeing its day to day operations and programmatic work. She will work with staff, board members, the Kennedy family, and volunteers to construct advocacy programs, which provide on-going support to the Center's partners , the RFK Human Rights Award winners. She will also oversee the annual Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award honoring courageous grassroots human rights defenders.

“The RFK Center is a unique human rights organization with an agenda wholly driven by its partners, some of the most inspiring and innovative human rights leaders in the world. It is truly an honor to be able to lead the Center’s efforts to contribute to our partners’ social movements,” said Ms. Varma

Since joining RFK Center, Ms. Varma has spearheaded the Center’s innovative economic and social rights advocacy and efforts to hold international financial institutions, donor states and UN Member States accountable for human rights violations. A human rights lawyer, Ms. Varma previously worked for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in Hague, Netherlands as a legal officer. Ms. Varma currently also serves on the Editorial Board of Harvard-based François-Xavier Bagnoud’s Health and Human Rights journal.

RFK Center engages in long-term partnerships with human rights activists to initiate and enhance sustainable social justice movements. RFK Center works under the direction of partners on the ground using innovative tools to achieve sustainable change, including litigation, technical initiatives, advocating with governments, UN and other international entities and NGOs, and launching consumer awareness campaigns aimed at fostering corporate responsibility.

Source: Robert F. Kennedy Memorial (http://www.rfkmemorial.org)