Portia Ozioma Chigbu is a Juridical Science Doctor (J.S.D.) Candidate at Notre Dame Law School. She is an academic researcher and attorney who earned her LL.B degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she finished with honors.
Portia completed her LLM at Notre Dame Law School in 2023, finishing with honors and an award of excellence for being the best student in Legal Research Writing. She has attended several conferences and workshops and presented published papers on topical issues on African and international human rights law, international law, and international development.
Chigbu is passionate about adopting a rights-based approach to solving global issues. Prior to commencing her JSD, Portia worked as a Research Associate and Research Assistant at the Sustainability and Human Rights Initiative at Pulte Institute for Global Development, Program Management Fellow at International Justice Mission, a Researcher at UNESCO’s Youth as Researcher Project, Lecturer in International and Comparative Law Department at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Researcher for Women’s Aid Collective. She has also been a program officer at the African Association of International Law (AAIL). Her research interests include international human rights, environmental law, disaster law, women’s rights, and development rights, especially in developing countries globally. Potia's current research centers on the intersection between disaster management and human rights, where she assesses how human rights can enhance the protection of victims of natural disasters.
My research interests include international human rights law, environmental law, disaster law, international law, women's rights and development rights.