Loubna Freih

Loubna Freih was HRW’s first Geneva-based Director advocating to the UN on human rights and refugee issues. A member of the Geneva community, she launched the HRW Geneva Committee in 2001 in what was the first non-English-speaking city. In 2005 she helped launch the Zurich Committee, followed by the Beirut Committee.

In addition to human rights work, Loubna works as a family mediator & coach working with adolescents. Loubna has worked as a journalist in New York and Geneva and has taught human rights at the Kennedy School and at the University of Geneva. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University and Master's degrees in journalism from NYU and in creative writing from Queens University of Charlotte. She sits on the board of Human Rights Watch and the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. She also sits on HRW’s MENA and children rights advisory councils.  

Born in Iraq, of Saudi origin, Loubna is an avid mountaineer and spends part of her time in Verbier in the Swiss Alps. She has two sons.