Canadian Lawyer B. Rafeena Bacchus is new Programme Director at the Global Conscience Initiative. Ms. Rafeena was selected from a list of international applicants because of her academic background and professional experience as a lawyer with five years of practice. She arrives Cameroon in February to effectively start work but she will be directing GCI's affairs from Canada. Rafeena takes over from Justine Lucas who has been directing the organization since January 2009.

Rafeena is a graduate from the Faculty of Law at the University of Dalhousie. She was called to the Prince Edward Island Bar, Nova Scotia Bar, and Ontario Bar in the summer of 2004, and was recognized as the first woman of color to be called to the bar in Prince Edward Island.

After clerking for the Chief Justice of the Superior Court in Prince Edward Island, she commenced civil litigation practice at Zuber and Company LLP.

During this time, she has been actively involved in the Advocates Society and served on the Young Advocates Committee which (among other things) promotes the interests of young advocates and fosters networking among junior and more senior members of the society.

She has also been actively involved in the community through the group “Sahaja Yoga”. The ultimate goal of this group is to establish world peace and unity. Rafeena assisted in the legal restructuring of this not for profit, charitable organization in Canada, as well as teaching classes to battered women, students, cancer patients and corporate officers.

On taking the Programme Director position at GCI, Rafeena said:

"My entire life has been devoted to changing the world around me. I worked for and achieved a legal degree so that I can use the laws to the advantage of the disadvantaged. It is my passion and my strongest desire to use my legal training and strong work ethic towards the betterment of humanity. It would be the greatest honour to work for this noble cause."

Since 2004, Rafeena has been a member of Member of the Law Society of Upper Canada (Member of the Advocates Society and active member of the Young Advocates Committee, Canadian Defence Society, Toronto Lawyers Association), member of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society, member of the Law Society of Prince Edward Island.

Ms. Rafeena obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) in 2003 from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia with criminal law specialization. In May 2000 she obtained a Diploma Honors Standing in Sociology (Hons B.A.) from the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario graduating with distinction. She had previously, in May of 1999 obtained a B.A.in Administrative and Commercial Studies (B.A.) from the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario where she Majored in Social Organizations and Human Relations