Farida Shaheed () is a Pakistani sociologist and

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

activist. In 2012, she was appointed the United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, while she held that role in the field of education from 2022. She heads the Shirkat Gah women's resource centre in Pakistan, and is known for her extensive work on gender and class analysis, both in Pakistan and more globally.

Work

Shaheed has over 25 years of research and activist experience, using a gender and feminist lens on issues of

rural development Rural development is the process of improving the quality of life, quality of life and economic well-being of people living in rural areas, often relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas. Often, rural regions have experienced rural povert ...

, labour, culture, religion and the state. She has particularly focused on promoting and protecting

cultural rights Cultural rights are rights related to themes such as language; cultural and artistic production; participation in cultural life; cultural heritage; intellectual property rights; author's rights; minorities and access to culture, among others. ...

through policies and projects for marginalised communities, including women, the impoverished, religious and ethnic minorities. Shaheed is also an expert in international, regional and national negotiations, including within the United Nations and Pakistan. Shaheed is a founding member of the Pakistan women's rights network,

Women's Action Forum Women's Action Forum (WAF) is a women's rights organization in Pakistan. History Women's Action Forum (WAF) was established in Karachi in September, 1981transnational feminist network Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML). She served as United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights from 2009 to 2015, when the role was taken over by Karima Bennoune. In August 2022 she was appointed Special Rapporteur on the right to education.

Awards and recognition

On 12 November 2014, Shaheed was awarded the ''International Award UCLG – Mexico City Culture 21'', for her work on gender, culture, religion and the state. She had previously received several other awards, including the Pakistan Prime Minister's Award for her co-authored book, ''Two Steps Forward, One Step Back''.

Selected publications

In 2010, Shaheed authored the article ''Contested Identities: Gendered Politics, Gendered Religion in Pakistan'' for the special edition of Third World Quarterly. In 1998, Shaheed edited with Sohail Akbar Warraich, Cassandra Balchin and Aisha Gazdar, the book ''Shaping Women's Lives: Laws, Practices and Strategies in Pakistan''. It was published by Shirkat Gah. In 1987, she wrote the book ''Women of Pakistan: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back?'' with Khawar Mumtaz, chronicling Muslim women's movements in South Asia from the turn of the 20th century up till the mid-1980s. In 2004, with Aisha L F Shaheed, she wrote ''Great Ancestors: Women Asserting Rights in Muslim Contexts''. The book was conceived of as a training module for women's human rights activists with a companion book of historical and biographical information. The two volumes were published by Shirkat Gah and was republished as a stand-alone monograph by Oxford University.

References

External links

Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights

Shirkat Gah website

Women Living Under Muslim Laws
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaheed, Farida Pakistani sociologists Pakistani women sociologists Pakistani feminists United Nations special rapporteurs Pakistani human rights activists Living people Pakistani women's rights activists Year of birth missing (living people) Pakistani officials of the United Nations

Work

Awards and recognition

Selected publications

See also

References

External links