Mary Lawlor

Mary Lawlor is an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Social Innovation at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Business, focusing on Business and Human Rights. She is a globally recognized human rights advocate, previously serving as Executive Director of Front Line Defenders (2001–2016) and Director of Amnesty International Ireland (1988–2000).

• Education: BA in Psychology and Philosophy; postgraduate degrees in Montessori Teaching and Personnel Management.

Her career spans decades of leadership in NGOs, including founding Front Line Defenders to protect human rights defenders at risk. She has engaged in high-level advocacy, country visits, and program management.

Awards include the UN Human Rights Prize (2018), French Legion d’Honneur (2014), and multiple lifetime achievement recognitions.

She advises on the UCD Centre for Ethics in Public Life and the Norwegian Human Rights Fund. Her work emphasizes practical support for activists and ethical business practices.