World Citizen: Journeys of a Humanitarian

Jane Olson has dedicated her career to promoting international peace, justice and humanitarian work. She chaired the International Board of Trustees of Human Rights Watch, the largest US-based international human rights organization, from 2004 to 2010, having worked on behalf of HRW since 1988. She also chaired the board of Survivor Corps for 12 years since its founding as the Landmine Survivors Network. LSN and HRW were among the five organizations to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for the International Landmine Ban Treaty.

Olson is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Science and a board member of both the National World War II Museum in New Orleans and Direct Relief, based in Santa Barbara, CA. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Pacific Council on International Policy. She served as co-chair of the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York and continues to support the WRC as a commissioner.

Olson has received numerous awards, including the 2010 inaugural Alison Des Forges Award from Human Rights Watch, and the inaugural Eleanor Roosevelt Award from Feminist Majority in 2005. California Senator Barbara Boxer presented the “Women Making History” Award to Jane in 2010. She received Public Counsel’s Community Achievement Award and the Silver Achievement Award from the Los Angeles YWCA. A 1964 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications, Jane is being honored this week as an Alumni Master.