Cheikh Traore

Dr Cheikh Traoré is currently based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a binational of Nigeria and Mauritania. He grew up in a home of political activists where both his mother and father were involved in struggles for democracy and human rights in Africa. He is an LGBTI rights advocate, a social entrepreneur and an international development specialist.

His passion for the past two decades has been to work at the intersections of public health, gender, race and social justice issues. He co-founded and took part in several initiatives to improve the rights and well-being of LGBTI people in seeral countries including the UK and Nigeria. During his tenure at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2009-2012), and later as a consultant with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA, 2014-2016), he worked on programmes to protect the health and rights of gay, bisexual men., sex workers and people who use drugs.

He has helped develop ‘UN for ALL’; a landmark training programme to promote inclusive workplaces within UN organisations. Among his previous positions, Cheikh has worked as HIV policy advisor with UNDP in New York City, the Mayor of London, and Terrence Higgins Trust. He is a fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (England and Wales).

He graduated as a physician from the National University of Cote d’Ivoire and holds a diploma and masters in public health and nutrition from London School of Hygiene and tropical Medicine (University of London)