Mary Lawlor

Biography

Mary Lawlor has decades of experience in human rights  -  founding and/or growing successful, effective NGOs

In 2001 she founded Front Line Defenders - the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. Front Line Defenders concentrates all its activities on human rights defenders at risk who work peacefully for the rights of others as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The aim is to protect defenders of human rights and provide them with “round the clock” practical support so that they can continue their work to build civil and just societies.

As Executive Director from 2001-2016, Mary Lawlor represented Front Line Defenders and had a key role in its development.  She led country visits, engaged in high level international advocacy, oversaw accountability, managed and evaluated programs and raised funds.

In 2007, Front Line Defenders was awarded the King Baudouin International Development Prize and in 2018, it was awarded the UN Human Rights Prize.

IPrior to Front Line Defenders, Mary was Director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International from 1988 to 2000. She became a Board member in 1975 and was elected Chair from 1983 to 1987.

Mary has a BA in Psychology and Philosophy and postgraduate degrees in Montessori Teaching and Personnel Management.

In 2023, Mary received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Red Cross. 

She is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Social Innovation, School of Business, Trinity College Dublin where she takes a lead on Business and Human Rights.  She is a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Business.

She is on the Advisory Board of the UCD Centre for Ethics in Public Life and the Norwegian Human Rights Fund.