Mr. Giles Duley was designated as the first United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations on 3 December 2022, the International Day for Persons with Disabilities.
Mr. Duley is a documentary photographer, writer, storyteller, chef and the CEO and founder of the Legacy of War Foundation, a charity supporting communities and individuals as the rebuild their lives after conflict. The organisation works in Rwanda, Ukraine and Lebanon and is one of the fastest growing international NGO’s. He was born in 1971 in London.
His work focuses on the long-term humanitarian impact of conflict. Starting his career as a music photographer, Duley worked with the likes of Mariah Carey, Oasis and Lenny Kravitz for publications including Q, Vogue, Sunday Times and Elle. In 2000 his image of Marilyn Manson was voted amongst the 100 greatest rock photographs of all time. In 2004 Duley changed his focus to documentary work, partnering with well-respected charities such as HI (Humanity and Inclusion), EMERGENCY, Save the Children and UNHCR to highlight lesser-known stories deserving of public attention and action. Although documenting challenging, and at times, horrific situations, Giles captures the strength of those who fight adversity rather than succumb.
In 2011, whilst working in Afghanistan, Duley was severely injured by an IED. As a result of his injuries he is a triple-amputee. In 2012 he returned to Afghanistan to continue his work as a photographer.
His photographs draw the viewer to the subject, creating intimacy and empathy for lives differing from ours only in circumstance. His work has taken him to Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, DR Congo, Angola, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ukraine, Jordan, Lebanon, Colombia, Vietnam and Nigeria among others. In 2015 he started his Legacy of War project, which looks to explore common themes of conflict. A core part of the project is collaborations with other artists and writers to reach a wider audience. These collaborations have included the musicians Massive Attack and PJ Harvey.
As a presenter he has made two Unreported Worlds for UK Channel 4 and he has produced and presented the six-part VICE tv series, The One Armed Chef, which aired in 2022. In 2017 the Sunday Times included him in their Alternative Rich List, for those who are "rich in experience, rich in spirit, rich in life…." In the list Natasha Kaplinsky said of Duley “Even catastrophic injury has not stopped him doing what he feels he should be doing with his life.”
In 2023 he was rewarded with an MBE and took up the position of corperate impact advisor on Angelina Jolie’s new Atelier Jolie project "Different photographers can use the same camera or light, or all shoot the same frame. But what is different is the soul of the person behind the lens, and the moments they recognize and are drawn to—the emotional connection they make. That is what I love about Giles’s photography. Looking at his images, we can feel what he feels. It’s clear that he connects deeply to the human condition of people from all over the world. He himself has been through an ordeal. They say that adversity helps grow compassion, and Giles’s art certainly seems to bear that out." – Angelina Jolie
As the UN Global Advocate Mr. Duley will speak to the immediate and long-term needs and rights of persons injured in conflict and living with disabilities, including those affected by explosive ordnance. And he will ensure that the voices of those disabled by explosive ordnance are heard in the larger conversations on persons with disabilities in peacebuilding processes.
In accepting the appointment Mr. Duley explained:
"It’s an honor to see my work recognized by the UN in this designation, but my work has always been to amplify the voices of others, and so this designation honors all their stories. In my role I represent them all, and I will continue being a conduit for their stories, advocating for all civilians left disabled by war and representing them in their search for justice and the support that is their right. In war those with disabilities are often represented as victims, denied equality in humanitarian support and excluded from peace processes. It is time for change. And if we work together, we have the strength and opportunity to create that change."
The role will be administered by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Department of Peace Operations.