Catarina de Albuquerque

Catarina de Albuquerque (born 1970) is a Portuguese lawyer and human rights activist who served as the first United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation (2008–2014). After becoming Executive Chair of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) in 2015, in September 2018 she was appointed SWA's Chief Executive Officer. Biography Born in 1970, Catarina de Albuquerque attended the German International School in Lisbon before graduating in law from the University of Lisbon. She then earned a master's degree in law (LLM) from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, leading her into her first contacts with the United Nations. Catarina de Albuquerque joined Sanitation and Water for All in 2014 and has since strengthened political will in favour of water, sanitation and hygiene, and positioned SWA as a vital contributor to the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. In July 2018, following a wide-ranging governance review, SWA created the position of Chief Executive Officer and Ms. de Albuquerque was chosen for the position in a competitive process. Through her strategic leadership as CEO, she is an influential and powerful advocate for SWA and the human rights to water and sanitation. She leads the SWA secretariat and provides strategic leadership compatible with its vision and high-level objectives, including all operational, executive and fundraising activities.