Rochus J.P. Pronk

Rochus J.P. Pronk is a senior Dutch diplomat with a distinguished career centered on international peace and security, humanitarian policy, and the promotion of human rights. He currently serves as the Director of the Human Rights Department at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to this role, he headed the Mashreq and North Africa Divisions at the ministry and was acting Ambassador to Iraq. From 2016 to 2020, he was Head of the Human Rights section at the Netherlands Permanent Representation to the United Nations, where he played an active role in numerous Human Rights Council negotiations.

Mr. Pronk has also held postings in a variety of global contexts, including the Hague, Canada, China, Afghanistan (twice), Brussels, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the occupied Palestinian territories. He is trained as an international lawyer with expertise in human rights and international humanitarian law. In 1995 he began his career at the Washington College of Law, where he co-founded the War Crimes Research Office. Throughout his ensuing diplomatic career, Mr. Pronk has remained a steadfast advocate for the promotion and protection of international human rights and humanitarian law.

Currently Teaching

United Nations Human Rights System (LAW-662S-001)

Areas of Specialization

• International Human Rights/Humanitarian Law