Claude Cahn

Claude Cahn is Human Rights Officer at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner (OHCHR).  He has previously held UN human rights field posts in the OHCHR Brussels regional office (2017-2019), Serbia (2015-2017) and the Republic of Moldova (2009-2015).   

Before joining the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Cahn was Head of Advocacy Unit with the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) (2007-2009). Between 1996 and 2007, he worked for the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) in a number of capacities including Programmes Director (2003-2007) and Acting Executive Director (2005). 

In the course of his career, he has been extensively involved in the development of equality law, in particular in Central and Southeastern Europe, as well as of international law in the area of economic, social and cultural rights.  He has been continuously involved in efforts to secure justice for Romani women coercively sterilized in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, and has been directly involved in a number of landmark rulings by the European Court of Human Rights on Roma rights issues. Other areas of experience include the rights of persons with disabilities, LGBTI rights and the human rights of older persons. He is one of the authors of the 2022 publication Protecting Minority Rights: A Practical Guide to Developing Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Legislation.  

Mr. Cahn holds degrees in Law, History and Literature, including a PhD in Law from the University of Nijmegen (Netherlands). Mr. Cahn is married to Cosmina Novacovici and has two daughters, Sarah Kali and Johannah Shai.

A full CV is available at: https://www.claudecahn.net/bio