Three Flemish universities pay tribute to UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese
Copyright Mona van den Berg
(25-02-2026) On 2 April 2026, the University of Antwerp, Ghent University, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel will award an honorary doctorate to Francesca Albanese, human rights lawyer and Special Rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories.
The joint honorary doctorate will be awarded during a ceremony in the Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp.
Human Rights Advocate
Francesca Albanese, born in Italy in 1977, is an internationally renowned lawyer and human rights expert specializing in international law and the Middle East. Since May 2022, she has been the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. She is the first woman to hold this position and was re-appointed for a second term in 2025.
Francesca Albanese studied law at the University of Pisa and holds a Master's degree in Human Rights from SOAS, University of London. She is affiliated with the Institute for the Study of International Migration (Georgetown University) and is a co-founder of the Global Network on the Question of Palestine.
Before her UN mandate, Francesca Albanese worked for over ten years as a human rights expert for organizations including OHCHR (Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) and UNRWA (UN Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees). She has published numerous legal reports on topics including the right to self-determination, systematic deprivation of liberty, children's rights, and genocide. Her book, Palestinian Refugees in International Law (Oxford University Press, 2020), is considered a standard work.
Francesca Albanese is known for her principled, legally sound analyses of structural injustice. Her work has international resonance but has also encountered political resistance. Despite intimidation, she continues to champion the protection of fundamental rights and international law as an instrument for justice.
Rector Petra De Sutter and Vice-Rector Herwig Reynaert: "Just, combative, and with a great sense of responsibility: that's the best way to describe Francesca Albanese. Her commitment to human rights and international justice is exceptional, and she deserves our support and admiration for her perseverance in the fight against structural injustice. The honorary doctorate that we, together with the University of Antwerp and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, are awarding to Francesca Albanese is a special tribute to her contributions to society."