Fiona Sampson P '24
Human Rights Law
Fiona Sampson is a human rights lawyer with a PhD in women’s equality law who has dedicated her 20+ year career to seeking justice for society’s disadvantaged: disabled persons, refugees, Indigenous persons, and victims of violence. She founded the equality effect, an NGO that uses international human rights law to make girls/women’s rights real; a main area of focus for the equality effect is the protection of women and girls from rape. As its CEO/President, she led her team to the landmark 160 Girls High Court victory in Kenya. Fiona has been called one of the world’s “women revolutionaries” alongside notables that include Gloria Steinem, Hillary Clinton, and Isobel Coleman.
An experienced litigation lawyer, Fiona has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada representing various women’s NGOs in equality rights cases. Fiona has published widely relating to women’s and girls’ equality. Fiona has received many awards and much recognition for her human rights work; Fiona has been appointed an Ashoka Fellow, awarded the 2014 Distinction in International Affairs Award by the New York State Bar Association, named a YWCA 2015 “Woman of Distinction”, named one of Canada’s Top 25 Lawyers (Top 5 on the “World Stage”), awarded the Law Society of Ontario 2018 Human Rights Award, and named one of 50 “Global Heroes” working to end violence against children, along with Queen Noor and Hillary Clinton, amongst others. Fiona has Honorary Doctorates from Trent University and Queen’s University. In 2015 Fiona was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada, the highest honour a Canadian civilian can be awarded.