Ghana LAWA Fellow 1994-1995 B.A., Hons., University of Ghana, Legon B.L,. Ghana School of Law L.L.M., Georgetown University Law Center Legal Consultant Apex Lawconsult No. 45, 3rd Crescent, Asylum Down PO Box GP 4889 Accra, Ghana Work Phone: 233-21-224878 Work Fax: 233-21-232296 Email: smpremo@yahoo.co.uk

Affiliations: LAWA Ghana

Profile:

As of 2005, Ms. Minkah-Premo has been the co-director of LAWA-Ghana. In addition, she currently works as an attorney for Akuffo & Co. Legal Consultants in Accra, Ghana.

LAWA Experience:

Ms. Minkah-Premo wrote her graduate thesis, “Attitudes Towards Victims of Rape that Affects the Reporting, Prosecution and Convictions for Rape: the Need for Reform in Ghana,” in 1995. For her fellowship internship, she worked at the Institute for Women’s Law and Development Working with Women, Law and Development International on two major projects for the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women. The first was to study and evaluate domestic violence legislation around the world, creating a survey requested by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women. The second was to develop a manual to train women activists to report human rights claims in a legally sufficient manner. The preliminary results of both projects were presented at the women’s conference in Beijing in September 1995. Sheila participated in the Beijing conference, discussing her research as a speaker in two workshops.

Other Work Experience:

Ms. Minkah-Premo has been a member of FIDA (International Federation of Women Lawyers), Ghana since 1989. Prior to LAWA, she volunteered for the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana. In 2003, Ms. Minkah-Premo became coordinator of G.T.Z (Family Law Focal Area), a German Technical Co-operation Project aimed at enhancing the rule of law and gender equity in Ghana's rural legal systems.