Justin Kouame is a Commissioner for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, a Trustee for the Community Foundation for NI (CFNI), and a member of the Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO). Justin was formerly Chair of Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers (NICRAS). Justin is a dedicated advocate and champion for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) in NI.
With over a decade of experience working with refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, Justin has been at the forefront of promoting racial equality, inclusion, and unity in diversity. He holds the belief that BME voices, lived experience, and rights need to be heard and valued, and upheld at every level of NI society. As a committed champion for better living conditions and the well-being of refugees and asylum seekers (RAS). Justin has actively pushed for systematic change, challenging policies that leave vulnerable individuals in precarious situations.
Justin's advocacy extends to achieving free and accessible English language classes and better living conditions for refugees and asylum seekers in NI, recognizing the fundamental role language and housing play in integration, empowerment, and opportunity. Justin has produced research papers on housing and destitution affecting RAS, and an Essential Guide to help RAS understand the social, historical, and economic context of life in NI.
Committed to racial equality and social justice, Justin continues to fight for inclusive and progressive policies and improved services to reflect societal change, the recognition of lived experience, and meaningful opportunities for BME communities living in NI.
Justin was appointed a Commissioner in September 2022 and reappointed for a further term in May 2025.