Rafael is a lawyer and is currently Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer in the UNODC office in the Philippines, focusing on prison reform. He is also an associate member of the Brazilian Forum of Public Security (FBSP), and a member of the Advisory Committee to the Méndez Principles on investigative interviewing.
Previously, he was Programme Manager on Criminal Justice Reform for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) working to reform criminal justice, strengthen custody hearings, boost non-custodial measures and reduce prison overcrowding in all 27 Brazilian states. He has also taught law at several Brazilian universities and has worked for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), World Vision, and for civil society organizations.
Rafael holds Master’s degrees in Development Studies from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and in Law from the Universidade Federal do Ceará.