2008 Honorary Degree Recipient

Irene Khan, secretary general of Amnesty International (AI) since August 2001, has worked tirelessly to promote human rights for individuals (with special emphasis on women's rights), to mitigate the infringement on human rights caused by "the war on terror," and to regulate impunity for human rights abuses. Born in Eastern Pakistan (now Bengladesh) and educated at Manchester University and Harvard Law School, she spent 20 years with the UN High Commission for Refugees before taking the helm at Amnesty. She has received many fellowships, prizes, and awards, including the Sydney Peace Foundation Prize in 2006.