Yumna Rizvi is a senior policy analyst at the Center for Victims of Torture in Washington, D.C., focusing on human rights and national security, and refugee and asylum protections. Previously in Pakistan, Yumna served as Human Rights expert with Huqooq-e-Pakistan, a joint EU and Government of Pakistan project aimed at improving the country’s compliance with its international treaty obligations by strengthening Pakistan’s human rights framework, capacity of key federal and provincial government departments, and increasing public awareness on human rights. She also served as senior policy advocacy officer with Justice Project Pakistan, a legal-action non-governmental organization advocating against the death penalty and custodial torture, and for better protections for Pakistani migrant workers on death row around the world.

Yumna has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs from the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University. She has appeared on Al Jazeera, Voice of America Urdu, and spoken at the European Parliament. She has been quoted in or written for Al Jazeera, Dawn, the Intercept, Inkstick Media, Middle East Eye and The News.