[2] Fredman was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and received her undergraduate degree in mathematics and philosophy from Witwatersrand University.

[2] She then worked for a short time as a political and labour journalist before attending Wadham College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.

After four years in that position she was elected fellow in law at Exeter College, Oxford.

The network will initially be focussing on two substantive themes, gender equality, and poverty and human rights.

[5] Fredman founded the Oxford Human Rights Hub (OxHRH), an organisation that aims to bring together academics, practitioners, and policy-makers from across the globe to advance the understanding and protection of human rights and equality.