Executive Director
Yared Hailemariam
Yared Hailemariam is the Executive Director of the Ethiopian Human Rights Defender Center. Under his leadership, EHRDC provides emergency protection, advocacy, awareness raising, capacity building, and technological support to human rights defenders. Yared, is a founder of East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network and Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE). Yared helped establish several Human Rights organizations after being forced to in exile and after coming back to his home country.
PrORGAM DIRECTRess
Mahlet Abreham
Mahlet joined EHRDC as the Programs Directress. She oversees programs and deals extensively with organizational development and program management. Mahlet specialized in International Human Rights Law. She received her master’s in International Human Rights Law from University of Sussex in Brighton, UK and a bachelor’s degree in Laws from Haramaya University, Ethiopia.Before joining EHRDC she worked with Catholic Relief Service (CRS) where she was responsible for coordinating the design and implementation, technical assistance on projects and advisory services on emergency program specifically on issues of gender and protection.
Protection and research officer
Befekadu Dereba
Befekadu joined EHRDC as protection and research Officer. His tasks include managing the protection projects which supports human rights defenders at risk to ensure that they receive the necessary support to overcome the challenges that they face and facilitate the capacity building trainings for HRDs.
Before joining EHRDC he worked with Ethiopian Human Rights Council, Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations program officer and Hawassa University as an Assistance Lecturer of Laws. Befekadu received his master’s in Human Rights Law from Addis Ababa University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Laws from Hawassa University, Ethiopia.
Protection and research officer
Advocacy and Communication Officer
Kalkidan Tesfaye
Kalkidan joined EHRDC as Advocacy and Communication Officer. Her tasks include providing advocacy work for the human rights based projects in the organization, producing contents on behalf of the organization, leading advocacy campaigns as well as creating and creating smooth communication and sustainable partnership with stakeholders, donors and members as well as managing the organization’s social media platforms.
Before joining EHRDC she worked with Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia as Assistant Program Director and volunteered for UNECA, African Union and IOM. Kalkidan received her Master’s Degree from Addis Ababa University in English Language and Literature and her Bachlor’s Degree in Computer Science from St. Mary’s University.
Finance and Administrative Officer
Fikadu Dufera
Fikadu joined EHRDC joined as the Finance and Administrative Officer. His tasks include providing financial, Administrator, and logistical support to projects and the organization as a whole.
Before joining EHRDC he worked with Working for Christian care. Fikadu has Bachelor’s Degree Addis Ababa Royal University College.
Project assistant
Leilt Tlahun
Leilt joined EHRDC as a Project Assistant. Her tasks include assisting the implementation of project activities, compiling project reports, providing administration and logistic support for the organization.
Project Intern
Hana Lale
Hana joined EHRDC as a junior assistant. Her task includes assisting all the departments, more specifically the Advocacy and communication department.