Michael Akanji

Michael Akanji (born 1984) is a Nigerian of Yoruba background. He is an advocate for sexual health and rights. He was the director of The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs) and is currently a key population advisor for Heartland Alliance International in Nigeria.

 Biography 
Michael Akanji was born in September 1984. He has studied at the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa,  Federal University of Technology, Minna and University of San Diego. He is a Sexual Health and Rights Advocate whose works focus on the LGBTQI  and HIV/AIDS. Michael works across the West African region. Michael has worked with different organizations including the UN and contributed to research projects such as "Our Voice, Our Future: Young People Report on Progress Made on the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS," and "MSM in Sub-Saharan Africa: Health, Access, & HIV: Findings from the 2012 Global Men’s Health & Rights (GMHR) Study."

He was also a member of the Local Organizing Committee for the First National Conference on Inclusivity, Equality, and Diversity in University Education in Nigeria.

Michael was a fellow of the United States International Visitor Leadership Program in 2015. He is a co-author of Through the Gender Lens and has also contributed to and co-written several other publications.

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