Flávia Piovesan

Flávia Piovesan (born c.1968) is a Brazilian lawyer and human rights Commissioner. She was elected by the Organization of American States (OAS) to serve from 2018 to 2021 as a Commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). In 2021 she was the 2nd vice-president of the IACHR as part of the first all woman team of President and vice-presidents.

Life Piovesan took a master's degree and a PhD at the Catholic University of São Paulo. She conducted long term human rights research at Harvard Law School, Oxford University and the Max Planck Institute after she gained her doctorate.

In 2016, Piovesan became Brazil's Special Secretary for Human Rights when she was appointed by Brazilian President Michel Temer. Six people had been nominated for the election and she was seen as one of the strongest candidates despite the poor human rights record in Brazil. Other candidates elected were Chilean human rights lawyer Antonia Urrejola Noguera and Mexican diplomat Joel Hernández García. She became the OAS's Rapporteur on the Rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Trans and Intersex Persons.

In 2020 the "Research Handbook on International Law and Social Rights" was published and Piovesan was one of the four editors together with Prof. Christina Binder, Dr. Jane A Hofbauer and Amaya Úbeda de Torres.

In March 2021 Antonia Urrejola Noguera succeeded Joel Hernández as President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights leading the first all woman team of President and vice-presidents. Julissa Mantilla Falcón became the first vice-president and Flávia Piovesan was the second.