Lyse Doucet was born on December 24, 1958, in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. She grew up in an Anglophone family with Irish and Mi'kmaq ancestry. Her sister, Andrea Doucet, is a sociology professor in Canada. From an early age, Lyse developed an interest in global affairs and storytelling, which would later shape her distinguished career in journalism.

Education

Doucet earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen’s University in Kingston in 1980. While at university, she actively contributed to campus newspapers and magazines. She later pursued a Master's degree in International Relations at the University of Toronto, graduating in 1982. During that time, she participated in a volunteer teaching assignment in Ivory Coast with Canadian Crossroads International, where she taught English for four months. A skilled linguist, Doucet is fluent in both English and French, and has working knowledge of Arabic and Persian.

Career at the BBC

Between 1983 and 1988, Lyse Doucet worked as a freelance journalist in West Africa, contributing to the BBC and various Canadian media outlets. Her in-depth reporting and compelling writing established a strong professional relationship with the BBC. In 1988, she reported from Pakistan and was later stationed in Kabul to cover the aftermath of the Soviet troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

From 1989 to 1993, she served as the BBC’s correspondent based in Islamabad, covering stories in Iran and Afghanistan. In 1994, Doucet opened the BBC’s office in Amman, Jordan, as part of her focus on Middle Eastern affairs. Between 1995 and 1999, she reported from Jerusalem, significantly expanding her coverage across the Middle East. Following this period, she continued reporting for the BBC from various global hotspots, eventually rising to the position of Chief International Correspondent. She has appeared regularly on BBC World News television, BBC World Service Radio, BBC News, and BBC Radio 4, and has contributed to the program Newsnight.

Humanitarian Engagement and Advocacy

In addition to her journalism career, Doucet has been actively involved in humanitarian causes. She has served as a council member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) and the International Council for Human Rights Policy in Geneva. She also supports Aschiana UK, an organization that aids working street children in Afghanistan. Celebrating her cultural heritage, Doucet regularly attends the Acadian World Congress, held every five years.

Awards and Recognition

Lyse Doucet has received numerous awards for her work in journalism. In 2002, she was the only Canadian journalist present with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a failed assassination attempt at his brother's wedding. The coverage by Doucet and her team earned them a nomination for the Royal Television Society Award. In 2003, she received the Silver Sony Award for a compelling interview with Yasser Arafat. In 2010, she was honored with both a Peabody Award and the David Bloom Award for a documentary on maternal mortality in Afghanistan.