Margaret Aduto is a development practitioner, human rights activist and arts enthusiast.

She served(April 2021-June 2022)  as the Africa Regional Representative under Pen America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) Programme. In this  capacity, she coordinated the Amani: Africa Creative Defence Network, led local outreach to artists, human rights, and art organizations in the region as ARC developed its network of assistance for persecuted artists and convened the inaugural Regional Workshop in Africa on the State of Artistic Freedom. She also supported the ARC team’s urgent assistance efforts by reviewing artist cases, making referrals to international support, connecting artists to local and regional resources and opportunities.

In August 2022, she was  part of the Kenya Artistic Freedom Election Monitors (AFEM) who monitored and documented artistic freedom violations during the national elections in Kenya. She has undertaken research on the state of artist Human Rights Defenders in Africa specifically analyzing the state of artistic freedom and identifying gaps in the promotion and protection of artistic freedom in 12 selected countries.

Led in the implementation and coordination for the third Akiba Uhaki Fund Regional Grantees’ Convening in Arusha Tanzania; the second and third annual sessions of the ‘East African Academy at Arusha’, and two editions of the ‘Zinduka Festival’ both in Arusha, Tanzania.