# Yanghee Lee

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**Yanghee Lee** (Korean: 이양희; Hanja: 李亮喜, born 24 July 1956) is a South Korean [developmental psychologist](/source/Developmental_psychologist) and professor at [Sungkyunkwan University](/source/Sungkyunkwan_University). She is most noted for her work in international human rights organisations.[1][2] Lee is highly recognized nationally, regionally, and internationally for her expertise in human rights. She has published numerous articles and books on human rights and children’s rights.

## Education

Lee earned her undergraduate (B.S.) degree from [Georgetown University](/source/Georgetown_University). She later undertook postgraduate studies at the [University of Missouri](/source/University_of_Missouri) and earned an M.ED. and Ph.D.[3]

## Human rights works and United Nations career

Lee currently serves on the Advisory committee of the [National Human Rights Commission of Korea](/source/National_Human_Rights_Commission_of_Korea). She is the founding President of the International Child Rights Center, a non-profit organization based in Seoul. In 2009, she received the [Order of Civil Merit](/source/Order_of_Civil_Merit_(Korea)), the highest recognition given to a civilian in Korea, for her work in human rights.[4]

Lee served as chairperson of the [Committee on the Rights of the Child](/source/Committee_on_the_Rights_of_the_Child) under the [UN High Commissioner for Human Rights](/source/Office_of_the_United_Nations_High_Commissioner_for_Human_Rights) from 2007 to 2011. She also served as chairperson of the [Meeting of Chairpersons of Human Rights Treaty Bodies](https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/AnnualMeeting/Pages/Meetingchairpersons.aspx) from 2010 to 2011. The [Open Society Foundations](/source/Open_Society_Foundations) funded her work through several grants to the [Sungkyunkwan University](/source/Sungkyunkwan_University) destined to support her research.[5]

### Myanmar

In 2014, Lee was appointed [special rapporteur of the UN](/source/United_Nations_Special_Rapporteur_on_Human_Rights_in_Myanmar) on the situation of [human rights in Myanmar](/source/Human_rights_in_Myanmar) first established in 1992 under the Commission on Human Rights Resolution 58 and extended annually.[6] Following usual practice, her appointment as special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar was extended for one year in March 2019.[7] The Myanmar government denied access to Lee.[8] She completed her term in April 2020, and was succeeded by [Thomas Andrews](/source/Thomas_Andrews_(American_politician)).[6]

In the aftermath of the [2021 Myanmar coup d'état](/source/2021_Myanmar_coup_d'%C3%A9tat), she co-founded the [Special Advisory Council for Myanmar](/source/Special_Advisory_Council_for_Myanmar) (SAC-M) in March 2021 alongside two UN officials, [Marzuki Darusman](/source/Marzuki_Darusman) and [Chris Sidoti](/source/Chris_Sidoti).[9]

## Titles, awards and honours

- **2009**: [Human Rights Award of Korea](/source/Human_Rights_Award_of_Korea) as Winner, [National Human Rights Commission of Korea](/source/National_Human_Rights_Commission_of_Korea)

## References

1. ["UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee visiting Myanmar soon"](https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/mizzima/item/3228-un-special-rapporteur-yanghee-lee-visiting-myanmar-soon.html). *BNI Multimedia Group*. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

1. ["Ms Yanghee Lee visits sittway, Rakhine state"](http://www.president-office.gov.mm/en/?q=issues/rakhine-state-affairs/id-7132). *[Office of the President of Myanmar](/source/Office_of_the_President_of_Myanmar)*. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

1. ["Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar"](http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/CountriesMandates/MM/Pages/SRMyanmar.aspx). *[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights](/source/Office_of_the_United_Nations_High_Commissioner_for_Human_Rights)*. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

1. ["Government removes welcome mat for UN Special Rapporteur"](https://www.mmtimes.com/news/government-removes-welcome-mat-un-special-rapporteur.html). *[The Myanmar Times](/source/The_Myanmar_Times)*. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

1. ["Awarded Grants, Open Society Foundations"](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?filter_keyword=Sungkyunkwan)

1. ["Myanmar: UN expert Yanghee Lee finishes mandate by urging authorities to embrace democracy and human rights"](https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2020/03/myanmar-un-expert-yanghee-lee-finishes-mandate-urging-authorities-embrace). *OHCHR*. 2020-03-10. Retrieved 2023-03-21.

1. China, Cuba and the Philippines voted against renewing Lee's appointment. See UN Human Rights Council, [Human Rights Council adopts five resolutions](https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=24399&LangID=E), 22 March 2019.

1. ["OHCHR - Myanmar refuses access to UN Special Rapporteur"](https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22553). *www.ohchr.org* See also ["Myanmar bars UN human rights envoy Yanghee Lee"](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/myanmar-bars-human-rights-envoy-yanghee-lee-171220145600876.html). *[Al Jazeera](/source/Al_Jazeera_English)*. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2018. and ["Rakhine conflict has 'hallmarks of genocide': Yanghee Lee"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210222032315/https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/rakhine-conflict-has-hallmarks-of-genocide-yanghee-lee/). *Frontier Myanmar*. 31 March 2018. Archived from [the original](https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/rakhine-conflict-has-hallmarks-of-genocide-yanghee-lee) on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

1. ["Launch of Special Advisory Council for Myanmar"](https://liberties.aljazeera.com/en/launch-of-special-advisory-council-for-myanmar/). *Human Rights & Public Liberties*. 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2023-03-21.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Yanghee Lee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanghee_Lee) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanghee_Lee?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.