Ambiga Sreenevasan

Ambiga Sreenevasan, born in nineteen fifty-six, is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and a dedicated human rights advocate. She gained international recognition as one of the eight recipients of the US International Women of Courage Award in two thousand nine. Her leadership as the president of the Malaysian Bar Council from two thousand seven to two thousand nine marked a significant period in her career, during which she co-chaired Bersih, a coalition of NGOs advocating for free and fair elections.

Her commitment to social justice is further exemplified by her previous roles in the executive committee of the Women's Aid Organisation and the Bar Council Special Committee focused on the rights of the indigenous Orang Asli people. In addition, she serves as a director of the Securities Industry Dispute Resolution Centre, where she has contributed to the preparation and presentation of papers addressing critical issues such as the rule of law, the judiciary, and human rights.

As the former president of the Malaysian Bar, Ambiga played a pivotal role in establishing a panel of eminent persons in collaboration with LAWASIA, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, and Transparency International-Malaysia in two thousand eight. This panel was instrumental in reviewing the judicial crisis of nineteen eighty-eight, producing a groundbreaking report that set a precedent for organizations to investigate abuses of power.

In recognition of her contributions to the field of law and human rights, she was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law (LLD) by the University of Exeter in July two thousand eleven.