Human Rights Centre graduate Yasmin Waljee was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List in recognition of her work with disadvantaged young Muslims.
The award-winning international human rights lawyer graduated from the University of Essex in 2003 with an MA in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights, which she passed with distinction, and was named as the Essex’s Alumnus of the Year in 2007.
She completed her MA at the Human Rights Centre while working as a solicitor at a leading lsw firm in London and now works as International Pro Bono Manager for Hogan Lovells.
More information about Yasmin Waljee is available on our Alumni web pages at Essex:Connect
She was awarded an OBE in recognition of her significant contribution to the work of Mosaic which was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2007 to increase educational opportunities for young Muslims and encourage understanding between people from different backgrounds.
Yasmin was one of the very first individuals to respond to the Prince’s call for focussed activity to support young Muslims and their peers growing up in disadvantaged communities. Importantly she recognised the potential for individuals and corporates such as Hogan Lovells to respond to this call for action.
Yasmin said: "I am enormously proud to be given this award. Mosaic's success, and the success of almost every pro bono and community project I have been involved with, is attributable to the collaborative and inspiring colleagues with whom I work and the dedication of the people who give their time so freely to provide pro bono advice, be mentors and supporters."
Yasmin has been instrumental in the creation and success of Mosaic, from its initial modest mentoring programme in a single school in London to a multiple set of initiatives across six regions of the UK and with affiliated networks in 18 countries overseas. She serves as a member of the Mosaic UK Advisory Board, a post she has held since its inception, and is co-Chair of the London Region of Mosaic.
HRH Princess Badiya, Chairman of Mosaic UK, said "We are so grateful to Yasmin for all she has done, and continues to do, for Mosaic. It is wonderful that her tremendous contribution is recognised in this way."
David Harris, Hogan Lovells Co-Chief Executive Officer, said: “Yasmin has made a fantastic contribution to the development of pro bono legal affairs at Hogan Lovells and in the legal sector as a whole. Her creative input, tenacity and determination in tackling the most challenging of issues has had a real impact on people's lives. I am delighted her efforts have been recognised in this way."