Michaela Clayton is a human rights lawyer who has worked on HIV/AIDS and human rights issues in Namibia, and subsequently regionally and internationally, since 1989. She was the founding Director of the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), a regional partnership of civil society organisations working together to promote a human rights-based response to HIV/AIDS and TB in 18 countries in southern and east Africa. She stepped down as ARASA’s Director at the end of 2019 and now works as an independent consultant. Michaela is a member of the HIV Justice Network’s Supervisory Board, co-chair of the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights; and a member of the Global Fund Community, Rights and Gender Advisory Group, the UNAIDS Steering Committee on Target Setting, and the UNAIDS Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. She was the recipient of the 2009 Human Rights Watch and Canadian AIDS Legal Network International Award for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights. Michaela holds a BA LLB (1985) from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
