Professor Tomoya Obokata is a distinguished scholar of international law and human rights, currently serving as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences. Appointed by the Human Rights Council in March 2020, he is an independent expert tasked with investigating and reporting on issues such as forced labour, debt bondage, and the exploitation of migrant workers and children.

Alongside his United Nations mandate, he is a Professor of International Human Rights Law at York Law School, University of York. Throughout his academic career, he has held senior positions at several prestigious UK institutions, including Keele University, Queen’s University Belfast, and the University of Dundee.

An accomplished author, he has published extensively on international criminal law and human rights protections. His expertise has been sought by high-level bodies including the UK Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, the European Union, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).