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 (LRAM)
• The Royal College of Music (ARCM)
• Honorary Doctorate of the University of Birmingham (Scientific)
• Honorary Doctorate of the London Metropolitan University (Disability)
• Honorary Doctorate of the ‘Victor Babes University’ University of Timisora (European Union enlargement)
• Honorary Doctorate of the ‘Dimitrie Cantemir’ Christian University, Bucharest (European Union enlargement)
• Member of the University Courts of Reading, Southampton, Exeter and Sussex

Honorary responsibilities include:

• Honorary Advisor to Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki of Iraq in the field of Health and for being in charge of advisory functions to the Iraqi government in the health sector and everything related to it for the sake of the Iraqi people
• Special Envoy of the World Health Organisation for Health
• Member, American Bar Association’s Middle East North Africa Council
• Member, Foundation for Dialogue between Civilisations
• Prize Committee Member, Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organisations
• Co-Chairman with the Prime Minister of Romania of the High Level Group for Romania’s Children
• Co-Chairman with the Prime Minister of Moldova of the High Level Group for Moldovan Children
• Board Member, American Islamic Congress
• Member, Organising Committee of the New Arab Woman Forum
• Member, Freedom House International Solidarity Committee
• Member, International Advisory Council of the Euro-Mediterranean University
• Vice President, The Booker Prize Foundation
• President, Council of the Caine Prize for African Writing
• Trustee, Africa ‘95
• Member, Supervisory Board of Booker Prize for Russian Fiction
• Vice President, Family Farmers’ Association
• Member, Board of Advisers for the New York University Center for   Dialogues, Islamic World - U.S. - The West
• Patron, Zambia Society Trust
• Vice President, Local Government Group for Europe
• Vice President, Mary Hare School for the severely and profoundly deaf children and young people
• Patron, The Winsford Trust
• Patron, Beethoven Piano Society of Europe
• Patron, Saferworld
• Fellow, Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
• Member, Women In International Security
• Patron, Crusaid
• Vice President, Little Foundation
• Member, Oxford Chamber Music Society