Kate Allen (Amnesty International UK)
Encyclopedia
Katherine Allen is the Director of Amnesty International
UK (AIUK)
, Allen’s career started in local government
as a policy officer at the Greater London Council
and then Haringey London Borough Council
. She was a member of Camden Council
during the 1980s where she set up the Women’s Committee.
Allen then moved to the Refugee Council
, where she headed the UK emergency evacuation programmes for Bosnia
and Kosovo
, and chaired the Asylum Rights Campaign - a coalition of 100 refugee agencies, lawyers and community organisations - during the passage of major new asylum and immigration legislation.
In 1998/99 she was seconded to the Home Office
, where she worked on the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act.
organisation since 2000. AIUK is the second largest Amnesty section worldwide with more than a quarter of a million supporters; the organisation has offices in London
, Edinburgh
, Belfast
and Cardiff
. In her time at the organisation she has managed a major restructure and the establishment of the Human Rights Action Centre in Shoreditch
.
A regular contributor to broadcast programmes and speaker at public events Allen has comment pieces published regularly in national newspapers and has appeared on the BBC’s
Question Time
. In May 2006 she wrote a two-page article in The Observer
newspaper, which launched an international campaign on Internet censorship
and repression http://observer.guardian.co.uk/amnesty/story/0,,1784718,00.html.
Allen has travelled around the world for Amnesty on research and lobbying missions. In March 2006, she travelled to Nepal
where she met both high level members of the Nepalese army, and commanders of the Maoist rebels to discuss human rights concerns.
, former leader of the Greater London Council
, then Member of Parliament
, and later the first Mayor of London
, were partners. They split in 2001.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
UK (AIUK)
Early career
After studying for a BA(Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Brasenose College, University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, Allen’s career started in local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
as a policy officer at the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
and then Haringey London Borough Council
Haringey London Borough Council
Haringey London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Haringey in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Haringey is divided into 19 wards, each electing three councillors. Haringey London Borough...
. She was a member of Camden Council
Camden London Borough Council
Camden London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Camden in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London...
during the 1980s where she set up the Women’s Committee.
Allen then moved to the Refugee Council
Refugee Council
The Refugee Council is the United Kingdom's leading organisation working with refugees and asylum seekers. The organisation provides support and advice to refugees and asylum seekers, as well as support for other refugee and asylum seeker organisations...
, where she headed the UK emergency evacuation programmes for Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, and chaired the Asylum Rights Campaign - a coalition of 100 refugee agencies, lawyers and community organisations - during the passage of major new asylum and immigration legislation.
In 1998/99 she was seconded to the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, where she worked on the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act.
Amnesty International Career
Allen has led the UK section of the human rightsHuman rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
organisation since 2000. AIUK is the second largest Amnesty section worldwide with more than a quarter of a million supporters; the organisation has offices in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In her time at the organisation she has managed a major restructure and the establishment of the Human Rights Action Centre in Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
.
A regular contributor to broadcast programmes and speaker at public events Allen has comment pieces published regularly in national newspapers and has appeared on the BBC’s
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Question Time
Question Time (TV series)
Question Time is a topical debate BBC television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. The show typically features politicians from at least the three major political parties as well as other public figures who answer questions put to them by the audience...
. In May 2006 she wrote a two-page article in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper, which launched an international campaign on Internet censorship
Internet censorship
Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet. It may be carried out by governments or by private organizations either at the behest of government or on their own initiative...
and repression http://observer.guardian.co.uk/amnesty/story/0,,1784718,00.html.
Allen has travelled around the world for Amnesty on research and lobbying missions. In March 2006, she travelled to Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
where she met both high level members of the Nepalese army, and commanders of the Maoist rebels to discuss human rights concerns.
Private life
For 18 years she and Ken LivingstoneKen Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
, former leader of the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
, then Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, and later the first Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, were partners. They split in 2001.