Irene Khan joined Amnesty International as Secretary General in August 2001.

As the first woman, first Asian and first Muslim to head the world's largest human rights organization, she has led Amnesty International through challenging developments in the wake of 11 September 2001, confronting the backlash against human rights, broadening the work of the organization in areas of economic, social and cultural rights, and initiating a process of internal reform and renewal to enable the organisation to respond flexibly and rapidly to world events. She has also sought to bring a strong focus to the issue of women's human rights and violence against women.

Prior to joining Amnesty International, Ms. Khan worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for twenty one years, serving in many different parts of the world, including as Deputy Director in the Department of International Protection, Chief of Mission in India, Senior Legal Advisor for Asia and Senior Executive Officer to the High Commissioner.

In 1977, she helped to found Concern Universal, a UK-based development NGO.

In 2002 Ms. Khan was awarded the Pilkington "Women of the Year" award. In 2003 she received the John Owens Distinguished Alumni award from the University of Manchester. She has been awarded honorary doctorates by Ferris University (Japan) and Staffordshire University (UK). She has been voted one of the 100 Most Influential Asians in the UK. She is the winner of the 2006 Sydney Peace Prize.

She is a graduate of Harvard Law School, USA and the University of Manchester, UK. She is a Bangladesh national.

Blog Entries by Irene Khan

Report 2007: The State of the World's Human Rights

Posted May 23, 2007 | 10:43 PM (EST)


Our world today is deeply polarized. Comparisons are increasingly being made with the Cold War but in many ways it is more complex and dangerous now, because the opponents are not just governments but also armed groups with little or no stake in international relations.

Like the Cold War...

Read Post

A Window of Opportunity in the Middle East

Posted January 28, 2007 | 02:20 PM (EST)


One of the key themes at the World Economic Forum has been the Middle East and there seems to be an opening to move forward on a political process. There is a note of optimism about a window of opportunity.

Everyone seemed to agree that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is "the...

Read Post

Africa on the Agenda but Darfur Glaringly Absent

Posted January 27, 2007 | 07:23 PM (EST)


In true WEF style, a galaxy of stars - from Blair to Bono and Bill Gates, from Thabo Mbeki, the President of South Africa to Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, the President of Liberia and the first woman head of state in Africa - sat around the table, with lesser luminaries like...

Read Post

What's Worthwhile in Davos

Posted January 27, 2007 | 09:21 AM (EST)


Davos is a circus of the rich and powerful. Standing by the juice bar is Sneh, the Deputy Minister of Defence of Israel, and chief negotiator with the Palestinian Authority. He immediately recognises me from our meeting in Tel Aviv last December, and comes forward, introducing me to his companion...

Read Post

Terrorism: A Comprehensive Response, or an Opportunity Missed?

Posted January 25, 2007 | 05:02 PM (EST)


Across the world, governments are actively undermining human rights in the name of the fight against terrorism. How far has this process of erosion actually inflamed terrorism, rather than staunching it - particularly given that these measures have all too often targeted and discriminated against those very communities whose support...

Read Post

NGOs in Davos: Substantive or Cosmetic?

Posted January 25, 2007 | 01:59 PM (EST)


The World Economic Forum prides itself as a "multi-stakeholder forum", the one place where government leaders, big business and civil society are supposed to rub shoulders. Its press release announcing the theme of this year's Annual Meeting even listed some of the NGO heads present (including myself).

As a veteran...

Read Post