Umaña, Camilo

EDUCATION 

PHD in Sociology of Law (2019), University of the Basque Country in co-agreement with the University of Ottawa. Awarded Cum Laude. 

PHD in Criminology (2017), University of Ottawa in co-agreement with the University of the Basque Country. Awarded Cum Laude. 

Master in Sociology of Law at the International Institute for the Sociology of Law (2012), Awarded Magna Cum Laude. 

Graduate program in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (2010), University Externado from Colombia in agreement with the ICRC. 

Lawyer (2008). Law School, University Externado de Colombia. 

LANGUAGES 

Native: Spanish  

Full professional working proficiency: English and French  

Working proficiency: Portuguese 

RECENT EXPERIENCE 

International Institute for the Sociology of Law Oñati (IISL) (2025-current) Scientific Director  

Ikerbasque (2025-current), Research Professor  

University of the Basque Country (EHU) (2025-current), Investigador Distinguido 

Brown University (2025) Craig M. Cogut Visiting Professorship in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS).  

Harvard Kennedy School (2024-current) Carr Center Fellow for Human Rights Policy.  

Deputy Minister of Justice of Colombia (2022- 2024). Leading the Criminal Policy, the penitentiaries, the drug policy and the transitional justice policy. 

University Externado de Colombia (2013- 2024). Professor and (former) director of the human rights master program.  

Guernica Centre for International Justice (2021 –2022). Consultancy for developing a programmatic action designed to learn from the community-led justice initiatives. 

Colombian Truth Commision- Educapaz (2022). Consultancy to provide technical support for the preparation and review of inputs for the final report of the Colombian Truth Commission. 

Fundación para la Justicia (2022) Researcher for the Interdisciplinary Team for the Search, Analysis and Investigation of gross human rights violations in Mexico.  

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2021), Human Rights Officer, Petitions and Enquires Section, HRCTMD, Geneva 

American Bar Association (2021) Consultancy for analyzing the institutional needs of the judiciary to adjudicate cases involving violence against Human Rights Defenders. 

UNDP (2020-2021) Consultancy to conduct research on patterns of human rights violations during the armed conflict as input for the Final Report of the Colombian Truth Commission. 

Guernica Centre for International Justice (2021). Consultancy for producing analytical documents regarding the demands for justice in Nicaragua, USA.  

International Institute of Sociology of Law (2019-2021) Lecturer for the Transitional Justice and Human Rights course, International Master in Sociology of Law, Spain.  

American Bar Association (2020) Consultant for a legal assessment of the institutional responses to human rights for the migration crises in Colombia of Venezuelan population.  

Guernica Centre for International Justice (2020). Consultancy to conduct an exploratory study to adapt human rights responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, USA.  

Comité de Solidaridad CSPP (2020). Consultancy for the report on arbitrary detentions in the context of 2019 national protests, Bogotá.   

Colombian Truth Commission (2019- 2020). Leader researcher for the investigation of the role of the State in the armed conflict, Bogotá. 

CODHES (2019-2020). Consultant for the research and prosecution about enforced displacement in the context of the armed conflict, Bogotá.  

UN Human Rights Office in Colombia (2017 –2018). Legal adviser for the Transitional Justice and Fight Against Impunity team for the implementation of the Peace Agreement. 

National Ombudsman Office (2017). Consultant for the Restorative Justice program as lecturer and coauthor of a guide for the regional divisions of the Ombudsman Office. 

International Commission of Jurists (2012). Stage with the Secretary General Wilder Tyler, Geneva working with the UN mechanisms in Geneva. 

Colombian Commission of Jurists (2010 –2011). Lawyer for the Inter-American System of Human Rights. 

Bogota’s Town Hall Secretariat of Economic Development (2009–2011). Legal adviser for economic development policies. 

Bogota’s Town Hall Secretariat of Housing (2008 –2009), Legal adviser. 

International Labor Organization (2008 –2009). Consultancy on the Translation, and publication of the Manual for Judges and lawyers ILO/ITC.