Leilani Farha is the Global Director of The Shift, an international human rights organization focused on the right to housing. She is a legal practitioner and holds a BA (Hons), LLB, and MSW from the University of Toronto. Ms. Farha served as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing between 2014 and 2020. Recognized by governments and grassroots movements alike for her human rights expertise, she is a leading voice globally on international human rights law.

Leilani is the author of the first UN Guidelines for implementing the right to housing. She has spearheaded and co-authored standards on homelessness and the financialization of housing and has produced the first human rights guidelines for investors in residential real estate. She has worked with cities and national governments worldwide, providing guidance on implementing human rights.

A regular contributor to The Guardian, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, CBC Canada, DW, and other major news outlets, Leilani is also the co-host of the podcast PUSHBACK Talks. She is the protagonist of the award-winning documentary PUSH, which explores the financialization of housing.

In addition to her role at The Shift, Leilani serves as a Commissioner at the International Commission of Jurists and is the former Executive Director of Canada Without Poverty. She continues to lead global efforts to ensure housing is recognized and upheld as a fundamental human right.