Daria is the Director of the International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net), a global network of human rights and grassroots groups working to secure economic and social justice through human rights around the world. ESCR-Net seeks to promote the recognition of all human rights but with a specific focus on economic, social and cultural rights. The network was launched in 2003, and has taken off in a big way with Daria's leadership. Daria previously worked with the Ford Foundation in the Peace and Social Justice Programme.

From 1994-1997, Daria worked in South Africa with local NGOs on economic development, environment and governance issues. From 1988-1991, she was a Senior Development Officer in the Department of Economic Development for the City of Cleveland. Daria holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Daria CALIGURE
(USA)

Theophilus MLAKI
(Tanzania)

Theophilus is the current Chair of the Tanzanian Council on Social Development (TACOSODE) and a senior figure in Tanzanian society. He was instrumental in the development of Dignity International in Tanzania and has participated in many of Dignity's past activities including the planning meeting of Dignity International in June 2000, Geneva as well as the human rights seminar at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre in 2002.

Ton is the co-Founder and Chairperson of Dignity International. He was formerly the Director of the Netherlands National Committee for Sustainable Development (NCDO) one the largest NGOs in the Netherlands. For his contribution to Dutch society Ton Waarts has was awarded the Knighthood by the Queen of Netherlands in 2003.

Ton WAARTS
(Netherlands)

Jerald JOSEPH (Malaysia)
Executive Director

Jerald is the Executive Director of Dignity International with specific responsibility for programme design, content, methodologies for new initiatives including the Global Learning Programme for Human Rights in Development and the Community Learning Programmes.

Jerald has had over 12 years of experience in training, facilitating designing a range of learning programmes at community and organizational levels. He has worked as a training consultant for a number of organisations including the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma, Pax Romana, and Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Jerald is well grounded in the grassroots communities in Malaysia and at the same time has a solid understanding of the international social, political and economic context. Jerald's best skills are in facilitating group processes, in particular learning programmes with maximum participation from the people. He is a people-centered facilitator that utilises learning methods that are fun, creative and provoking.

Jerald served on a number of Boards including that of Pusat Komas (Community Communication Centre), Malaysia and Asia South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), Mumbai. Jerald graduated from the Science University of Malaysia with a degree in Industrial Chemistry (1993), and recently completed a Masters degree in Human Rights.

Donald is Dignity's Research, Publications and Communications Advisor, as well as being a long-term, active volunteer for the organisation since 2002. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Donald read Philosophy and Letters at Marlboro College in his native New England, and then at the University of Granada, Spain. He began his career with the Council of Europe's North-South Centre in 1991, and has researched, edited and produced hundreds of publications while working for the World Bank, several UN agencies, national development agencies and consulting firms. Over the past decade, Donald has also served as a media advisor to US nonprofit organisations and cultural media corporations at the annual Reed-Midem Media Market in Cannes, France and the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany.

Donald DONATO (USA)
Research, Publications
and Communications