Dr. Malika Saar

Biography

Malika Saada Saar is a highly accomplished human rights lawyer with extensive experience in civil human rights law, technology policy development, and multi-stakeholder engagement. She has worked as Google's Global Head of Human Rights YouTube, leading a team that integrated human rights principles into Trust & Safety, Government Affairs, Public Policy, Legal, and Product teams. Before joining YouTube, Malika served as Google's Senior Counsel for Civil Human Rights, where she developed frameworks guiding multi-stakeholder engagements to operationalize safeguards against modern slavery. She has convened state and federal lawmakers to promote initiatives that uphold democracy and protect vulnerable communities, partnering with organizations like UN Women and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. As the founder and Executive Director of Rights4Girls, an organization aimed at combating child sex trafficking and gender-based violence, Malika has been instrumental in legal advocacy, such as shutting down online sex ads promoting trafficking and ending the practice of shackling pregnant mothers in U.S. prisons. Recognized by Newsweek and the Daily Beast as one of the “150 Women Who Shake the World,” Malika is a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS and serves on the Boards of Brown University’s Watson Institute and Peabody. She has received notable awards including Spelman College’s National Service Award and the Robert F. Drinan Award for Public Service from Georgetown Law Center. Malika holds a B.A. from Brown University, an M.A. in Education from Stanford University, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Research Interests