Irene Zubaida Khan is a Bangladeshi lawyer, human rights advocate, and diplomat who has spent many years working internationally. In August 2026, she started her role as Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. She had worked with UNHCR for about 21 years, became the Secretary General of Amnesty International from 2001 to 2009, and then took charge of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) as Director-General. She also worked as the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression. Khan studied at the University of Manchester and Harvard Law School, and she is well-known for her efforts in human rights, helping refugees, international law, and defending freedom of speech. She was given the Sydney Peace Prize in 2006 and has also written a book called The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights.
