Emma’s Profile

Emma was born in Oxford in 1941 and she grew up in Berkshire. She is the third of four daughters of Sir Godfrey Nicholson, Bt. and his wife, Lady Katharine (the fifth daughter of the 27th Earl of Crawford). Emma was educated at St Mary’s School, Wantage, and the Royal Academy of Music, where she was awarded with an ARCM and LRAM in 1961.

Before entering politics, Emma worked as a Computer Software Developer, Systems Engineer and a Computer Consultant (1962-1974). She was made Director of International Development (1974-1977), then Director of Fundraising (1977-1985) for Save the Children UK, and has worked as a Consultant for Dr Barnardos, Westminster Children’s Hospital, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and the Foster Parents Plan.

Political Career:

Emma is a Life Peer and a member of the House of Lords.  She is also a member of the European Parliament for South East England, and a member of the Liberal Democrats party.

UK Parliamentary Experience:

Emma serves in the House of Lords, after having been made a Life Peer in 1997, and takes the Liberal Democrat Whip. She was the Member of Parliament for Devon and West Torridge (1987-1997), and Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party (1983-1987).

European Parliament Experience:

Emma was first elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the South East region of England in June, 1999. She was re-elected in June 2004.

Emma’s responsibilities in the European Parliament can be seen under the section “European Parliament” 

Voluntary Work:

Emma is the Founder and Chairman of the AMAR International Charitable Foundation , which was set up in 1991 to provide emergency aid for refugees in southern Iraq, and the Iraqi marshlands, in response to the acute humanitarian crisis that was taking place. She was the Co-founder of the AMAR-UNESCO Standing Conference, which promotes understanding between European and Islamic civilisations.

Emma is the co-chair (with the children’s write JK Rowling) of the Children’s High Level Group.

Emma is the President of the Caine Prize for African Writing, and a Trustee of the Booker Prize for English Fiction and the Booker Prize for Russian Fiction.

Emma has been appointed, since 2002, as the World Health Organization Envoy on Health, Peace and Development.

She is also the Patron of, or holds honorary positions in, over fifty charities.

Degrees and Qualifications

• The Royal Academy of Music
• The Royal College of Music
• Honorary Doctorate of the University of Birmingham
• Honorary Doctorate of the London Metropolitan university
• Honorary Doctorate of the ‘Victor Babes University’ University of Timisora
• Honorary Doctorate of the ‘Dimitrie Cantemir’ Christian University, Bucharest

Honorary responsibilities include:

• Special Envoy of the World Health Organisation
• Vice President of the Family Farmers’ Association
• Member of the Board of Advisers for the New York University Center for   Dialogues,
• Islamic World - U.S. - The West
• Patron of the Zambia Society Trust
• Vice President of the Local Government Group for Europe
• Vice President of Mary Hare School for the severely and profoundly deaf children and young people
• Patron of The Winsford Trust
• Member of the American Bar Association’s Middle East North Africa Council
• Patron of the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe
• Patron of Saferworld
• Board Member of the American Islamic Congress
• Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
• Member of the Organising Committee of the New Arab Woman Forum
• Member of the International Advisory Council of the Euromed University Centre