Stories and facts

Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei, born on February 1, 1969, is a Ghanaian lawyer and the UN International Elections Commissioner.

She was the first female chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, serving from 2015 until her controversial dismissal in June 2018 over allegations of financial misconduct, which is currently being contested in the Supreme Court.

Osei previously chaired the National Commission for Civic Education and has held various legal positions, including general counsel for Unibank Ghana and founder of Prime Attorneys. She holds degrees from the University of Ghana, Ghana School of Law, University of South Africa, and Queen's University in Canada.

In 2019,the UN appointed her as an International Non-Voting Electoral Commissioner to AfghanistanN. Osei's career is marked by numerous awards and publications, and she is also a mother of two. Osei has published works on citizenship, customary law, and gendered jurisprudence and is a mother of two children. She has also been enstooled Nkum Asafo #4 in the Ogua traditional area.

Explore the life of Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei below.