The Department of Politics and International Relations welcomes Sheila Keetharuth to the first-of-its-kind UN Peace & Security Fellowship.
Research
Sheila’s research focuses on strengthening accountability for conflict related sexual violence (CRSV) in peacekeeping contexts by examining the legal and operational nexus between abduction linked CRSV and trafficking in persons. Drawing on the South Sudan context, her work explores gaps between field level documentation, survivor centred protection practices, and the legal standards required for prosecution, as well as the political and security barriers to justice. The research aims to produce practical, mission-ready recommendations to improve legal classification, documentation, coordination, and the integration of protection and justice efforts within UN peace operations.
Interview
What motivated you to apply for and join the Fellowship?
I applied for this Fellowship because it offers a unique opportunity to translate field based experience into rigorous, policy relevant research with direct operational impact. In my role at UNMISS, I have led strategies to prevent and respond to CRSV, and this has highlighted the need for stronger legal analysis and methodological support to ensure that emerging operational approaches are credible and scalable. The Fellowship’s focus on bridging field realities and global policy is therefore a strong fit for my work and professional trajectory.
How do you feel about coming to Oxford to study here for eight weeks?
I feel honoured and energised by the opportunity. Oxford provides a rigorous academic environment that allows for deep analysis, critical debate, and reflection—something that is difficult to achieve in an operational context. I see the eight weeks as a valuable space to refine methodology, strengthen the legal foundations of the research, and test findings through engagement with academic mentors and peers.
What are you most looking forward to during the programme?
I am most looking forward to the academic mentorship and structured research support. This will be essential for refining the legal analysis around classifying abduction linked CRSV as trafficking in persons and for validating operational frameworks against international standards. I also value the exchange with other fellows and the opportunity to produce concrete outputs that align with DPO priorities and ongoing UNMISS initiatives.
Could you tell us a little about your research and its aims?
My research examines how UN peacekeeping missions can strengthen accountability for abduction linked conflict related sexual violence by systematically applying trafficking in persons classifications where legal thresholds are met, using South Sudan as a case study. It explores gaps between field level documentation, survivor centred protection practices, and the legal requirements needed to support justice processes. Grounded in my UNMISS experience the study aims to deliver practical, mission ready recommendations to improve legal classification, coordination, and the integration of protection and justice responses.
Biography
Sheila Beedwantee Keetharuth is a Mauritian human rights lawyer and senior United Nations official with over four decades of experience advancing human rights, women’s rights, and civilian protection in conflict settings. She currently serves as Senior Women’s Protection Adviser with UNMISS in South Sudan, leading efforts to prevent conflict-related sexual violence and promote accountability and survivor-centred protection.
She has held prominent international roles, including UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea and leadership positions in major UN investigations and peace operations. Earlier in her career, she worked with Amnesty International and led the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, following her beginnings as a journalist and later a barrister in Mauritius.
She holds advanced law degrees in international human rights and has built a career defined by advocacy, accountability, and the promotion of human dignity.