Prof Mukesh Kapila

Professor Emeritus of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs, University of Manchester  

Nationality – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Mukesh Kapila is Professor Emeritus of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs, University of Manchester, UK. He is also Senior Adviser to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, the principal forum for 29 national parliaments of the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Professor Kapila has qualifications in medicine and public health from the Universities of Oxford and London. After an initial career in hospitals and primary care, he went on to develop extensive experience in global health, humanitarian affairs, conflict and security, international development, human rights and diplomacy, serving in many senior leadership functions.

He was Head of Conflict & Humanitarian Affairs at the UK Government Department for International Development (now Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office), Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator, and then Special Adviser at United Nations, Director at World Health Organization, and Under Secretary General at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Professor Kapila has advised many other multilateral institutions including the World Bank, UN agencies, and international NGOs. He has served on several Boards, including at the UN Institute for Training and Research, and as Chair of Minority Rights Group International, and of Nonviolent Peaceforce (nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016). His other roles included the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination system, and Founder CEO of the Defeat-NCD Partnership at the United Nations.

His many awards include a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II, the Global Citizenship Award of the Institute for Global Leadership, the “I Witness!” award for human rights, and a special resolution of the California State Legislature for “lifetime achievements and meritorious service to humanity”.

Professor Kapila is an extensive writer and speaker. His first memoir “Against a Tide of Evil” was shortlisted for the 2013 Best Non-Fiction Book award. His further book (2019) is entitled “Not a Stranger to Kindness”.