Co-Chair of the International Bar Association's Presidential Force on Human Trafficking
In office 2014–2016
Co-Chair of the International Bar Association's Presidential Force on Human Trafficking
In office 2014–2016
Anne Therese GallagherAO[1][2] is an Australian lawyer who since 2019 has been the Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation. She is a former President (2018-2022) of the International Catholic Migration Commission, Co-Chair of the International Bar Association’s Presidential Task Force on Human Trafficking, and member of the Asia Dialogue on Forced Migration. She is considered to be an international authority on transnational criminal law, migration and human rights[3][4][5][6] and, according to the 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report prepared by the United States Department of State, is 'the leading global expert on the international law on human trafficking’.[7]
Gallagehr was a United Nations Official from 1992 to 2003 and was adviser to Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1998 to 2002.[11] During her tenure, Gallagher represented Robinson at the negotiations for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as well as its protocols on trafficking and migrant smuggling.[12] In 2001–2002, she led the development of the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Human Trafficking and during that same period was the founding Chair of the United Nations Inter-Agency Group on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling.[13]
From 2003 to 2018, Gallagher held various leadership positions in a regional development initiative,[14] funded by the Australian Government's International Aid Program aimed at strengthening legislative and criminal justice responses to trafficking in persons and related exploitation in all ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States.[15][16] The US State Department cited Gallagher's contribution to this Project, which they note has been 'widely acclaimed for its positive impact on laws, policies and practices within and outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region'.[12] The ASEAN Secretary-General, Surin Pitsuwan, also noted Gallagher's contribution, stating, "Dr Gallagher's expertise in this field, particularly in the area of criminal justice responses to trafficking, is recognised and deeply appreciated throughout the ASEAN region. ... It is not wrong to say that the achievements that ASEAN, as a region, is enjoying in the criminal justice response to the heinous crime of trafficking are in no small part due to Dr Gallagher's persevering efforts and her compassion towards ASEAN."[17][18]
Gallagher has been a panellist, expert and rapporteur at international and national governmental and non-governmental consultations, meetings, workshops and other fora,[33][34] and has been a guest speaker and lecturer at universities,[10][35][36] and commented for,[19][37] or been cited by, media.[38][39] She has contributed opinion pieces to The Guardian and the World Economic Forum.[40][41] Gallagher is also a regular critical commentator on the annual US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report,[42][43][44] and has been scathing of related efforts to quantify the problem of 'modern slavery' and assess national responses.[45][46][47] Gallagher has reported being threatened with legal action following her criticism,[48] in the Huffington Post, of "a US-based organization that stages high profile, ethically compromised 'rescue' operations in impoverished countries".[49] Since 2014, Gallagher has been a semi-regular contributor to The Spectator magazine,[50] writing on topics including the United Nations,[51] freedom of speech,[52] and migration.[53][54]
Gallagher continued to advise the United Nations after her formal departure. Outputs included the commentary to the United Nations Recommended Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Human Trafficking[55] and a series of legal issue papers produced by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.[56]
Recognition, awards and appointments
Gallagher was the recipient of the Anti-Slavery Australia Freedom Award in 2011.[57] In June 2012, she was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)[58][59] for her "distinguished service to the law, and to human rights, as a practitioner, teacher and scholar, particularly in the areas of human trafficking responses and criminal justice."[2] Also in June 2012, she was named a "2012 TIP Report Hero" by the United States Government for her work in the global fight against human trafficking.[7][60][61][62]
In 2014, Gallagher commenced as co-chair of the International Bar Association's Presidential Task Force on Human Trafficking. Also in 2014 she was appointed to the International Migration Organization's Migration Advisory Board, convened by its Director General William L. Swing.[63] In 2016, Gallagher joined Doughty Street Chambers as an Academic Expert.[64] She is also a founding member of the Asia Dialogue on Forced Migration.[citation needed]
In March 2018, Gallagher was elected President[65] of the International Catholic Migration Commission succeeding former Goldman Sachs Chairman and UN Special Representative on migration Sir Peter Sutherland. In her public pronouncements as president, Gallagher called for an "honest dialogue" on migration to confront the "globalization of indifference".[66]
In April 2019,[67] Gallagher was appointed Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation by its 46 Member States, becoming the first women to occupy this post in the Foundation's 70-year history.
^ abTrafficking in Persons Report 2012, Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons. "2012 TIP Report Heroes". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 4 August 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Hutton, Cathy, ed. (March 2000). "Newsletter"(PDF). Centre for International and Public Law, Faculty of Law, Australian National University (1). Archived from the original(PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
^ abTrafficking in Persons Report 2012, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. "2012 TIP Report Heroes". U.S. State Department. Retrieved 4 August 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Gallagher, A.; Holmes, P. (1 September 2008). "Developing an Effective Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking: Lessons From the Front Line". International Criminal Justice Review. 18 (3): 318–343. doi:10.1177/1057567708320746. S2CID146498046. SSRN1292563.
^Ramji-Nogales, Jaya (October 2016). "Book Review - The International Law of Migrant Smuggling". American Journal of International Law. 110 (4): 854–858. doi:10.1017/S0002930000763366. S2CID149222072.
^National Judicial College of Australia, Twiglight Seminar for the Judiciary. "People Trafficking"(PDF). National Judicial College of Australia. Archived from the original(PDF) on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
