Prof. Dr. Hafid Abbas

Prof. Dr Hafid Abbas is the Chairman of the National Commission of Human Rights and professor of education at State University of Jakarta, Indonesia. He is also an active columnist at the Jakarta Post, Bangkok Post and various international media. He was the Director General/Head of the Agency of Research and Development on Human Rights, Ministry of Law and Human Rights (September 2006 – October 2010). In 2008, as recognition of his contribution to promote and protect human rights in Indonesia during its most crucial period of transition from thirty two years of authoritarian rule to a democratic system, he was awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree on Human Rights and International Peace by Hartford Seminary, Connecticut, USA.

He was Director General of Human Rights Protection, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (2001-2006). He was a UNESCO International Consultant in Asia and the Pacific Region, former World Bank Team Leader for Education Reform in Indonesia. Visiting Professor/Speaker at: (i) Harvard University, USA (October 2006, October 2007), (ii) Columbia University, New York (October 2007), (iii) University of Connecticut, USA (October 2006), (iv) University of Melbourne, Australia (July 2006), (v) McGill University, Montreal, Canada (May 2006), (vi) Institute of Human Rights, University of Oslo (April 2005), (vii) Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, (March 2001). He was Deputy Minister Human Rights Affairs (1999-2001). He obtained a Doctorate Degree in Education from State University of Jakarta (1990) which was followed by Post-Doctoral Studies in Technology of Education at Syracuse University, New York, USA. (1991).