"I did not fight for power —
I fought for principles.
My activism is not about a role
in government;
it’s about reshaping the very
soul of the society I belong to."
Early Life and Education
Upon her return to Libya in the early 1980s, Dr. Allaghi quickly became known for her outspoken advocacy for human rights, democratic reforms, and women’s empowerment—positions that directly challenged the authoritarian regime of Muammar al-Gaddafi.
Her uncompromising criticism of state repression, combined with her growing influence in international development circles, put her under constant surveillance. By the mid-1980s, she had become a target for the Libyan regime. Several assassination attempts against her were documented during this period, including plots orchestrated by Libyan intelligence operatives in Beirut and Cairo. The regime saw her as a threat not only because of her political positions but also because she represented a new Arab feminist voice that linked democracy, women’s rights, and human development on a regional scale.
Facing credible threats to her life, Dr. Allaghi was forced into exile for more than 25 years, living between Lebanon, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Exile and Resistance
Upon her return to Libya in the early 1980s, Dr. Allaghi quickly became known for her outspoken advocacy for human rights, democratic reforms, and women's empowerment—positions that directly challenged the authoritarian regime of Muammar al-Gaddafi.
Her uncompromising criticism of state repression, combined with her growing influence in international development circles, put her under constant surveillance. By the mid-1980s, she had become a target for the Libyan regime. Several assassination attempts against her were documented during this period, including plots orchestrated by Libyan intelligence operatives in Beirut and Cairo. The regime saw her as a threat not only because of her political positions but also because she represented a new Arab feminist voice that linked democracy, women's rights, and human development on a regional scale.
Facing credible threats to her life, Dr. Allaghi was forced into exile for more than 25 years, living between Lebanon, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Institutional Legacy
Forced to live outside Libya for over two decades, Dr. Allaghi used this time to build institutions, shape policy networks, and influence development agendas across the Arab world and internationally. During this period, she led the Women and Children Division at the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), where she oversaw programs that gave rise to regional institutions on childhood development, women's empowerment, and civil society advocacy—bodies that continue to operate today and will be presented separately on this website. Her work extended far beyond AGFUND. She coordinated the Arab NGOs Committee (later evolving into ANND), partnered with UNICEF, UNESCO, and the ILO on education and human rights initiatives, and joined Mentor International and Mentor Arabia to support youth empowerment and health education across the region. After Libya's 2011 revolution, she co-founded the Libyan Forum for Civil Society to unify emerging NGOs during the country's democratic transition. She was also nominated to become Libya's Minister of Foreign Affairs and served as the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and to the European Union, bringing her civil society leadership into the diplomatic sphere. On the international stage, she became a familiar voice at the United Nations, Arab League summits, European Development Days, and global conferences on democracy, human rights, and development. As a founding steering committee member of CIVICUS – World Alliance for Citizen Participation, she helped connect Arab civil society efforts to global advocacy networks, ensuring regional voices were part of international conversations on human rights and governance. Dr. Allaghi is also a world-renowned speaker, frequently invited as a keynote speaker at international conferences to address issues of feminism, civil rights, and peace in the Arab world—bridging grassroots realities with global policy debates and inspiring audiences across cultures and disciplines.
Across these roles, her career combined institution-building, policy advocacy, and diplomacy with a lifelong dedication to democratic values, women’s rights, and regional self-reliance. Known for her bold and unapologetic views, she has been a true champion of the Arab cause and a staunch defender of human rights, never hesitating to challenge authoritarianism or speak truth to power. Her political career was marked by a rare integrity, one that placed principle above personal gain, and a conviction that meaningful change must come not only through international partnerships but also from within the region itself, led by its own people and institutions.