Dr. Daniela Heerdt is a renowned expert in sport and human rights. With a strong foundation in public international law and human rights law, she completed her PhD dissertation titled “Blurred Lines of Responsibility and Accountability – Human Rights Abuses at Mega-Sporting Events” in April 2021 at Tilburg University. Her research delves into the complexities of establishing legal responsibility for human rights violations at large-scale sporting events, including issues affecting children and migrant workers.
In her role as an independent consultant, Daniela works with various entities in the sports world, including the Centre for Sport and Human Rights and the European Parliament. She engages with sports governing bodies, governments, NGOs, and affected groups, providing expertise on human rights and safeguarding policies, developing reporting standards, and creating educational resources on children’s rights in sports.
Daniela has taught public international law and human rights law at Utrecht University and Tilburg University. Additionally, she has taught business and human rights at North West University in South Africa and Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. She is also known for delivering insightful guest lectures on sport and human rights. Together with Antoine Duval, she co-organizes the summer school on sport and human rights.
Currently serving as the Head of Research and Education at the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, Daniela is responsible for advancing the Centre’s educational and research agendas, aiming to promote human rights within the sports community. Her extensive experience includes collaborations with international organizations, sports bodies, civil society, and academic institutions, focusing on issues like the human rights impacts of mega-sporting events, remedies for sport-related human rights abuses, and gender equality in sports.
Daniela’s academic credentials include an LL.M. in public international law and human rights law. After graduating, she worked as a researcher at Tilburg Law School, contributing to book projects and teaching business and human rights in Zimbabwe and South Africa. She then continued her teaching career at Utrecht University before embarking on her PhD at Tilburg Law School.
For further engagement, Daniela can be contacted through her professional network.
Notable works include:
- “Blurred Lines of Responsibility and Accountability – Human Rights Abuses at Mega-Sporting Events”
- Contributions to consultative processes on human rights and safeguarding policies within the sports sector.
