Janne Nijman new chair supervisory board of the World Press Photo Foundation

Today, the Asser Institute’s chairperson of the executive board and academic director Janne E. Nijman has been appointed as the new chair of the supervisory board of the World Press Photo Foundation.

In a press release, executive director of World Press Photo Foundation, Joumana El Zein Khoury, states: ‘(…) We were deeply impressed by Janne’s broad expertise in human rights law and the public sector, in addition to her work in gender and race representation. With Janne having previously chaired similar other boards, we were convinced and assured of her excellent governance abilities.’

World Press Photo Foundation is a global platform connecting photojournalists, documentary photographers and worldwide audiences through trustworthy storytelling. The independent non-profit organisation was founded in 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised a contest (‘World Press Photo’) to expose their work to an international audience. World Press Photo contests have grown into one of the world’s most prestigious competitions, rewarding the best in photo journalism and documentary photography from around the world.

Visual reporting
In reaction to her appointment, Janne Nijman says: ‘I am honoured to be joining the organisation as chair of the supervisory board. This position aligns with my expertise in international and human rights law, freedom of speech, and the protection of gender equality in professional environments. I greatly value World Press Photo’s contribution to trustworthy visual reporting and storytelling in today’s world, and look forward to supporting the foundation’s mission.’

The World Press Photo Foundation has a two-tier board structure, with the supervisory board supervising the strategy and policy of the executive board and the general course of affairs of the organisation and its stakeholders. An international advisory committee advises the foundation on how to stay globally relevant. Jamila Aanzi will also join the supervisory board of the World Press Photo Foundation per February 1, as a general member.

About Janne Nijman
Janne Nijman is chairperson of the executive board of the T.M.C. Asser Instituut in The Hague, and its academic director. She is professor of History and Theory of International Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam, and also professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Nijman is a member of several boards, including peace organisation PAX for Peace and the think-tank International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT). Janne further currently serves on the international jury for the UCLG Peace Prize. 

Read more
A new year and a new research agenda: 'Rethinking public interests in international and European law'. 
By Janne E. Nijman - "At the Asser Institute, we start the new year with a brand-new research agenda (2022-2026), entitled ‘Rethinking public interests in international and European Law: Pairing critical reflection with perspectives for action’. It is organised around questions pertaining to the public interest in international and European public and private law. In the coming years, we aim to further the understanding of how public interests in international and European public and private law are understood, identified, used, (re)constituted and how they function within institutions. We envision a world in which local, national and transnational public interests are protected and promoted by international and European public and private law. And we think that critical reflection on how this legal notion is used, will offer perspectives for action to help confront our global challenges." Read the full article.