“The legal world is vast, and the challenges you will encounter are often complex and deeply rooted. If you try to take on everything at once, you risk losing focus and burning out before you can make a real impact.” – Neima Aman Shifa
Neima is a lawyer and transitional justice practitioner with expertise in human rights, post-conflict accountability, and victim-centred processes. She is currently the Transitional Justice Coordinator at the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), where she oversees the Commission’s transitional justice strategy, provides technical assistance to government bodies, empowers CSOs and victims’ associations, and ensures that the national process is in line with international norms and best practice through continuous monitoring and advice to stakeholders.
She is a three-time LL.M graduate with degrees from University of London, the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and Jimma University in international law and transitional justice related fields. Her research has focused on topics ranging from federalism and intergovernmental relations in transitional justice implementation to Ethiopia’s use of amnesty, reconciliation, and prosecution to address past human rights violations. As a founding board member of the African Centre for Transitions Studies and a roster member of the African Union’s Initiative for Transitional Justice in Africa, she continues to advocate for inclusive, credible, and locally grounded transitional justice processes that advance human rights in Ethiopia and beyond.
1. The Driving Force for Choosing the Legal Profession.
Growing up, reading has been Neima’s greatest leisure, and through it, she learned not only about the good part of her nation’s history but also the violences of the past and those unfolding around her – often met with no accountability or justice. As an empathetic person, she naturally shared her reflections and learnings with others, and people would often tell her, “You should be a lawyer and help people.” At some point, she couldn’t pinpoint exactly when, the spark caught. By the time she was in high school, she knew she was going to pursue law, and she worked towards that goal with purpose.
Now, after nearly seven years of practice, she cannot say she has yet seen the world she dreamed of helping to build when she chose the profession. “But what keeps me going is the belief that when we truly achieve justice and peace, we create the foundation for everything else, from development to health to human dignity itself”, Neima said. For her, working in human rights is more than just legal protection; it’s about creating the conditions that allow all human interests to flourish. That vision and belief in the bigger picture is what makes her work deeply fulfilling.
2. Qualities of an Exceptional Lawyer and How Young Professionals Can Cultivate Such Attributes.
In Neima’s view, a truly exceptional lawyer is one who cultivates the attribute of multidisciplinarity. According to her, “many of the failures we see in institutions today stem from a tendency to work in silos- with each actor focused solely on their own objectives, without considering how integrating other perspectives might lead to better outcomes. This challenge is particularly visible in the field of transitional justice where the goal is to address the harms of the past while creating the conditions for societal reconciliation and the non-recurrence of violence. Here you will see criminal lawyers seeing justice in prosecutions, elders in reconciliation, and political elites in forgiveness or amnesty, often being adamant that their view is the only way that to serve justice. The truth is, the right approach is often holistic, or tailored to the specific circumstances, and this is only possible when legal professionals develop knowledge and sensitivity in other relevant fields.”
Neima believes that young lawyers can cultivate multidisciplinarity by remaining open to learning from other professions, staying attentive to the real demands of their societies, and continuously engaging with emerging legal issues as well as other disciplines that intersect with the law. In today’s evolving legal landscape, the ability to connect law with broader human needs is what sets exceptional lawyers apart.
3. Significant Ongoing Project or Initiatives and Possible Impacts.
Currently, Neima is working on supporting the transitional justice (TJ) process in Ethiopia. Her focus is on building a truly victim-centred and inclusive TJ process, one that does not just exist on paper, but tangibly contributes to reconciliation, and the prevention of violence. Over the past year, she has supported the establishment and strengthening of victims’ associations across Ethiopia, ensuring that those most affected by past violations have an organised voice in shaping the TJ process. “Ideally the hope is to strengthen these associations into a nationwide network capable of sustained advocacy, peer support, and direct engagement with policymakers”, she said. Alongside this, Neima is working to contribute to capacity-building for government institutions, civil society, and local leaders so that the TJ policy and related legislations are implemented effectively and in line with international standards.
The impact she hopes for is to empower victims as central actors in shaping the TJ process, and to ensure that the process leads to reconciliation and non-recurrence. For her, groundbreaking change will mean moving from law making and deliberations to action where the promised justice become realities that victims and affected communities start to feel in their daily lives.
4. Role Models and Impactful Books
Neima has been inspired by the writings of many legal scholars, especially after joining law school, but she thinks those who truly shape the way one thinks about the profession are often the people walking the same journey alongside us. She has been fortunate to learn from individuals whose perspectives left a lasting mark on her. Tadesse Simie Metekia and Zelalem Shiferaw Woldemichael from Jimma University instilled in her the value of embracing international law as a powerful tool in the fight for justice. Frank Haldemann from the Geneva Academy taught her the importance of remaining hopeful and doing the best she could, even in difficult contexts. And Oscar Guardiola-Rivera from Birkbeck encouraged her to seek justice not only through traditional legal avenues but also through art and acts of resistance. “It’s one thing to understand a legal framework in theory, but it’s another to see how it can be practiced with dedication, creativity, and optimism, and that is what these mentors have shown me”, Neima emphasised.
Books have also played an important role in shaping Neima’s thinking. “I can’t name a single book that completely shifted my perspective, as I tend to explore many different areas- something that’s reflected in my academic journey, and my views evolve as I learn. However, two works often come to mind: The Idea of Justice by Amartya Sen and The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon. Both have helped me articulate societal issues and demands that do not always fit neatly within the Western language of justice”.
5. Advice or Guiding Principles for Young Legal Professionals and Advocates Trying to Find their Place and Purpose in the Legal Terrain.
According to Neima’s experience, “the first and perhaps most important step is to admit to yourself that you cannot do everything or solve every problem. The legal world is vast, and the challenges you will encounter are often complex and deeply rooted. If you try to take on everything at once, you risk losing focus and burning out before you can make a real impact. Once you accept that, it becomes much easier to choose an area of work that speaks to your values and strengths and then commit to it with dedication. That focus allows you to go deeper, build expertise, and create meaningful change. It also opens the door for collaboration, because you recognise the value of other professionals working on complementary fronts. Once you understand your purpose and do the work well, with integrity and purpose, and your place in the legal terrain will start to form itself.”
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Editorial Team
Silver Obioha
Clinton Nyamongo
Kazeem Afolabi
Dikeledi Matlhagare
Tolulope Olasunkanmi
Sulaimon Badmus
Aya Hamdy
Princess Maake
Jemilat Akerele
Vera Enubianozor
Brandon Otieno
Oluwabusayo Awodele
Kyenpiya Wonang
Gift Nwoke
Jessica Odoh
Tracy Karumba
Mary-Jones Ossi
Halimah Oladunni
Mary Linus
Peter Momoh
Jessica Omoruyi
