Kirsten Sandberg appointed as Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights 2025/2026
Leiden University is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Kirsten Sandberg as the Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights for the academic year 2025/2026 at the Department of Child Law and Health Law of Leiden Law School.
Professor Sandberg, a distinguished Norwegian jurist and expert on the rights of the child, is Professor Emerita at the Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, where she has contributed over 25 years of pioneering scholarship in children’s rights law. She is widely recognized for her service as Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (2013 – 2015), where she played a leading role in advancing the global children’s rights agenda. Elected to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2011 as Norway’s nominee, Professor Sandberg made significant contributions to the Committee’s work, including developing General Comments and reviewing States’ implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Her distinguished career reflects a deep commitment to strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks that protect children worldwide.
The Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights is a prestigious position designed to promote the study and advocacy of children’s rights by inviting leading experts in the field to contribute their knowledge and experience. Supported by the Kroese-Duijsters Fund and the Leiden University Fund, the Chair continues to attract eminent scholars who enrich the department’s teaching, research, and outreach. Previous holders of the Chair include Professor Jonathan Todres (Georgia State University), Professor Ursula Kilkelly (University College Cork) Dr. Mikiko Otani (former Chairperson of the UN CRC Committee) and Professor Ann Skelton (Leiden University/University of Pretoria).
Professor Ton Liefaard, Head of the Department of Child Law and Health Law and UNICEF Chair in Children’s Rights at Leiden University, commented: "We are honored to welcome Professor Kirsten Sandberg as the Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights for 2025/2026. Her outstanding academic and professional contributions, together with her global leadership on children’s rights, make her an extraordinary addition to our department. We look forward to her engagement with our students, staff, and partners."
Professor Sandberg expressed her appreciation for the appointment, stating:
"It is a privilege to join Leiden University as Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children’s Rights. I look forward to working with colleagues and students to further deepen the study of international children’s rights and to strengthen their realization in practice."
Professor Sandberg’s appointment reflects Leiden University’s ongoing commitment to advancing international children’s rights scholarship and practice. During her tenure, she will contribute to teaching, student supervision, and research collaboration with colleagues at Leiden Law School.
