Dr. Daniela Heerdt is an educator and researcher in the field of sport and human rights. She has a background in public international law and human rights law and defended her PhD project entitled “Blurred Lines of Responsibility and Accountability – Human Rights Abuses at Mega-Sporting Events” in April 2021 at Tilburg University. The focus of the project was the question of how to establish legal responsibility for human rights harms that occur in the context of these events, including violations of rights of specific groups like children or migrant workers.
Daniela also works as an independent consultant in the field of sport and human rights for the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, or the European Parliament among other clients. This includes activities such as leading policy development processes, providing input on consultative processes on human rights and safeguarding policies or processes, developing standards or principles for reporting mechanisms, or supporting the creation of educational material on sport and human rights.
Daniela currently works at Leiden University as Teaching and Learning Coordinator. In the past she has taught public international law and human rights law at Utrecht University and Tilburg University. She also taught business and human rights at North West University in South Africa and Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. She regularly gives (guest) lectures on sport and human rights. Together with Antoine Duval, she has been organising the summer school on sport and human rights.
