A safer South Africa for our children
It was among these reasons that Vanessa Lynch led the charge under the ‘DNAforAfrica’ banner to demonstrate the value of forensic DNA profiling in crimes against humanity and gendered violence throughout Africa. This was preceded by her efforts in South Africa where she lobbied to help pass the DNA Laws which now govern South Africa’s DNA Database of over one million individuals. Serial offenders such as Mki have been linked to not only 30 but up to 100 rapes committed by a single perpetrator, all through the South African DNA database. Following the success of the DNA database programme and the adoption of DNA laws in South Africa, Vanessa launched DNAforAfrica in 2021. WORKING TOGETHER FOR A SAFER AFRICA
Vanessa founded The DNA Project in 2005, and later launched @DNAforAfrica, dedicated to the use of advocacy outreach and forensic expertise to aid the development of DNA databases and casework programs throughout Africa. Vanessa is regarded as a key opinion leader in the field of Forensic DNA policy and law and has been lauded for her leadership to drive the adoption of legislation to administer South Africa’s national DNA database, the first of its kind on the African continent. Vanessa served as Deputy Chair of the National Forensic Oversight and Ethics Board (SA) which monitored the implementation of the provisions of the DNA Act in its first five years and now serves on the Forensic Databasing Advisory Board (FDAB) for the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG).
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Dec 2022 | Collective Action Magazine
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