Irene takes charge as Bangladesh’s UN representative
Photo: Courtesy
Human rights expert Irene Khan has taken charge as the new permanent representative of Bangladesh to the UN by presenting her credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres at UN Headquarters in New York.
Irene has decades of experience in various fields, including human rights, international law, refugee protection, the rule of law, and sustainable development. Throughout her career, she has held important responsibilities in various international organizations, including the UN.
Since 2020, she has served as the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Before this, from 2001 to 2009, she served as the secretary general of the international human rights organization Amnesty International. She was the first female secretary general in the history of the organization.
From 2012-2019, Irene served as the director-general of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO). Prior to that, during a long 21-year career at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), she served in various crucial positions, including chief of mission in India and deputy director of the Division of International Protection.
In recognition of her contributions to human rights and peace building, Irene was awarded the prestigious Sydney Peace Prize in 2006. She is the author of the book The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights. She received her higher education in law at the University of Manchester and Harvard Law School.
