The Staff Team

At BIHR we are proud that our team brings wide and varied experience to supporting our mission to achieve change through human rights. Our team includes specialists in law, education, advocacy, community engagement and arts, and a range of areas related to people’s everyday experiences of rights including health and social care, addressing violence against women, immigration and asylum, as well as core organisational functions around finance, administration and governance operations.

As part of our relationship with QMUL School of Law, where BIHR is housed, we run a paid summer internship scheme for students, awarded through a competitive application process. You can read more about our Intern Alumni here. 

You can contact BIHR via our main switchboard (0207 882 5850) or on email ([email protected])

Director: Sanchita Hosali

Sanchita is a recognised expert in human rights and equality law, policy and practice, with over fifteen years of working both in the UK and internationally. As Director at BIHR Sanchita provides strategic leadership and management, overseeing operations, with a lead role in policy and campaigning. Sanchita convenes an innovative new clinical module at QMUL School of Law, "Securing human rights" which provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to gain practical learning and experience of using human rights standards within the charity sector. Find out more about BIHR's relationship with QMUL here.

Sanchita has a particular expertise in addressing violence against women from a human rights perspective, having worked on a number of UK and international projects on these issues, including on "honour" crimes. She has been an academic researcher, worked as a freelance researcher, and lead policy and strategy development, in a variety of positions at organisations including Nottingham University, SOAS, Greater London Domestic Violence Project, Matrix Chambers, and Rights of Women. Sanchita has previously worked on human rights in the United Nations system, both at the Secretariat in New York and the World Health Organisation in Geneva. 

Sanchita has been recently appointed as a Trustee of the Centre for Women's Justice. She was previously the Chair of Rights of Women, a national legal organisation, overseeing the organisation's constitution as a charity. Sanchita holds an LLM Human Rights Law and an LLB in Law.

Acting Policy & Programmes Manager: Carlyn Miller

Carlyn joined BIHR in June 2018 as a Human Rights Officer, progressing to a Senior Human Rights Officer in August 2019 and is now acting Policy and Programmes Manager. Carlyn holds 7 years’ experience operationalising human rights in the health and social care sector. Beginning as a Human Rights Project Lead with Scottish Care, before taking on a role as a National Project Lead supporting the implementation of Self-directed Support across Scotland. Carlyn then moved to the Scottish Government working in the Care, Support and Rights Division for 18 months before moving to BIHR. Carlyn also has a passion for human rights internationally and has worked in Ghana, India, Nepal and Malawi. 

She holds a First Class MA Joint Honours degree in Politics and International Relations and her dissertation on the rights of marginalised groups won her a Scholarship to complete her MSc in Human Rights and International Politics at the University of Glasgow.

Human Rights Officer: Katrin McEntee

Katrin joined BIHR in January 2019 after having previously coordinated Age UK’s Our Rights Our Voices programme which aimed to empower older people’s forums to understand and use human rights in their community. Katrin has also recently completed her studies in Dance Movement Psychotherapy at Goldsmiths University. As part of her course, Katrin worked closely with women fleeing domestic violence as well as women with alcohol addiction. Prior to this, Katrin established and ran an advocacy service for a disability rights charity in Camden, supporting people to be heard on key issues such as health, social care and housing.

Finance & Administration Assistant: Rephael Akpan

Rephael joined the BIHR in August 2018, after completing a two month voluntary role in various regions across Peru. Previously Rephael worked within the Finance Team at MVision Private Equity Advisers for three years as an Assistant Accountant; primarily focusing on Fund Accounting and Fund Administration. Prior to this Rephael worked within Financial Services, initially at BDO and then with the Royal Bank of Scotland in the Global Restructuring Group. Rephael graduated from City and Islington College in 2012, and holds a Certificate in Finance Accounting and Business (CFAB) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants England & Wales (ICAEW).

Research & Communications Officer: Eilidh Turnbull

Eilidh joined BIHR in March 2019 after six months as a project assistant in European Council on Refugees and Exiles. Prior to this she completed legal research internships at the Council of Europe and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute. Eilidh also has a background in asylum support casework. She holds a LLB, a LLM in Human Rights and Migration Law and a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice.