Dr. Satang Nabaneh, a Gambian-born award-winning African legal scholar, elected African Union human rights expert, and seasoned practitioner, has been appointed the first Judge John Meagher Endowed Assistant Professor in Transitional Justice and Human Rights at the University of Dayton, United States.
The newly established professorship, effective Aug. 16, is housed in the UD Human Rights Center with a tenured faculty position in the Department of Political Science. Dr. Nabaneh, who already holds appointments at the Human Rights Center and School of Law, will focus on strengthening judicial and nonjudicial processes that help societies heal and rebuild after violence and conflict.
According to Dayton University’s press statement, the position was created through a $1.72 million gift from UD alumnus John “Jack” Meagher, a Vietnam veteran and retired Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge.
In her role, Dr. Nabaneh will lead public conversations on human rights and justice, forge partnerships with experts and community leaders, publish research on post-conflict peacebuilding, develop specialized courses in transitional justice and international human rights, and mentor students in advocacy, research and fieldwork. She will also pursue grant funding for scholarship and community-engaged initiatives.
“I am deeply honored to steward Judge Meagher’s inspiring legacy of justice, peacebuilding and community service,” Nabaneh said. “As the Human Rights Center continues to deepen its leadership in transitional justice, I see significant opportunities to expand research clusters and practitioner networks, creating new initiatives that prioritize student learning, development and engagement while elevating both academic scholarship and real-world policy impact.”
Dr. Nabaneh joined the Human Rights Center in August 2021 as director of programs and was named an assistant professor of practice in 2024. Beyond campus, she serves as an elected member of the African Union’s African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and as special rapporteur on violence against children. She collaborates with United Nations treaty bodies, regional mechanisms, and civil society organizations to advance justice and protection standards.
Her research explores the intersection of law, politics, and legal mobilization, with an emphasis on political reform, reparations, and gendered harm in transitional contexts, particularly in Africa. She regularly advises governments, drafts legislation and human rights guidelines, and works with judicial institutions and international organizations.
“This work directly supports the goal of helping societies confront past violence to build more democratic and peaceful futures,” she said, noting her role as a global fellow at the University of Bergen’s LawTransform and plans to expand transatlantic partnerships.
Nancy Martorano Miller, political science department chair, welcomed Dr. Nabaneh’s expertise, which will expand course offerings in human rights and comparative politics. Natalie Florea Hudson, Human Rights Center executive director, praised her “decades of groundbreaking work,” global reputation and advocacy for women and girls.
Nabaneh earned a doctorate in law from the University of Washington and a doctorate and master’s degrees in law from the University of Pretoria, where she previously coordinated programs on sexual and reproductive rights. She co-edited The Gambia in Transition: Towards a New Constitutional Order and has published widely in leading journals. Her commentary has appeared in The New York Times, Reuters, and Time. Honors include the Women Have Wings Award and recognition as one of “10 African Scholars to Watch.”
