Margaret Lokina Kishoiyian (29) was brought up among the Maasai in Narok County, Kenya. She holds an MLS in Indigenous Peoples’ Law and Policies and is studying for a Doctor of Juridical Science degree at the University of Arizona. Her doctoral research involves a case study of women’s land rights within five Indigenous communities in Kenya. Lokina is an activist for women’s rights, which provides the framework for her career and other endeavors.
While pursuing her degree, Lokina works in Tucson, Arizona, as a legal assistant at an NGO that provides humanitarian aid globally. One of the areas in which she works is gender-based asylum claims. Lokina also volunteers at several organizations that work to better the welfare of women. She volunteers at a local community food bank and works at an NGO she formed to support the needs of local Indigenous people. When she is in Kenya, she actively engages in civic education of girls to ensure that they are informed of their rights.
Lokina plans to continue to hone her legal skills at an international organization after graduation. Her longer-term plans include returning to East Africa and working to ensure that the land rights of women are respected and that the relevant legal frameworks support this objective.
