Shahnaz Bukhari and the Fight to Help Women

Short biographies of activists from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India

 South Asian Activists

Shahnaz is passionate about helping women in her home country. Because of her activism she has been imprisoned, threatened, and investigated by police. Even though her work is hard and even dangerous, Shahnaz says that she was born to help people and will not stop trying to change Pakistan for the better.

Chapter 2 : Women's Rights

"I am a born activist." - Shahnaz Bukhari

Shahnaz started working on women's rights in 1985 when she realized that many of the women in Pakistan did not have at least one of the basic human rights. For example, some had no homes and others had no food. She wanted to help women who had been thrown out of their homes.

Chapter 3 : The Media

The media have been very helpful in spreading the news of Shahnaz's activism. She has been featured in the news in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Australia. News teams have gone with her to visit injured women in the hospital. By showing the victims she is trying to help, much attention is brought to her work.

In 2003, she won the Civil Courage Award for her efforts to help women in dangerous situations. The leaders of Pakistan also gave her an award for her activism in 1994. The United States and French governments donated money to her organizations too. When Shahnaz gets awards for her work or is shown in the news, it makes sure that more people can hear about the work she is doing. This way more people know about the issues women in Pakistan might be facing and can offer their help. Shahnaz has held positions within the Pakistani government, including membership in the Senate and the Senate's standing committee on women's development. She was also nominated by her country for a special role working with the Violence against Women Committee of the United Nations.

Many of these women also had their children taken away from them. To begin solving these issues, she created the Progressive Women's Association and started her own informative magazine. She published and edited the magazine out of her own house and called it Women's World Magazine. She also campaigned to get positions in the Pakistani government that were reserved for women.

“Over the years I have begged my friends and philanthropists for help. I have begged my doctor friends to take care of certain cases and my lawyer friends to follow these cases in the courts and the justice system. Thanks to all of them and the media for addressing the issue, today violence against women is one of the major issues of the country.” - Shahnaz Bukhari

This would help make sure women's interests were represented by the country's leaders. In Pakistan, many women cannot read or write and are not trained for work. Going to school is important so that women and girls can work and make money and support themselves. That way, if they are put in a scary situation, they have a way of getting out on their own.

philanthropist : a person who helps to improve the lives of others through charity

Glossary

activism : someone who is not willing to let a bad situation go unnoticed or unchanged clinical psychologist : a therapist that helps people with mental health issues human rights : basic freedoms that belong to every person from birth to death

Chapter 1 : Background

Shahnaz Bukhari is a Pakistani women's rights activist. After living in Saudi Arabia for a few years, she returned to Pakistan in 1984 and moved to Islamabad. Shahnaz went to Punjab University in Lahore and started her career as a clinical psychologist.

Islamabad

Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. The name Islamabad means "City of Islam." It is the 9th largest city in Pakistan.

“Each night that I have stayed up crying for the fate of a little girl that will never have a tomorrow, each day that I have spent walking through courthouses seeking justice for women that have been wronged, my resolve has only been strengthened." -Shahnaz Bukhari

Below are some further resources for learning more about Shahnaz Bukhari's work.

2003 Acceptance: Shahnaz Bukhari — Civil Courage Prize

Seven Who Stretch Their Reach Across Cultures - Women's eNews

Shahnaz Bukhari

2003 Shahnaz Bukhari — Civil Courage Prize

Without education or a job, it is hard for them to defend themselves against dangerous situations, especially when the person that puts them in danger is a part of their family. Shahnaz opened her home as a shelter to women and children where they could come and stay when they had no where else to go. She began to travel all around Pakistan, meeting women who had been hurt and helping them find justice. She has worked on over 16,000 cases of violence against women. In Pakistan women are attacked with household materials like fire from the&nbsp;stove rather than weapons like guns. Many of these women cannot survive their injuries. To help these women with bad burns on their body, she created burn centers to provide the best medical treatment.

“We work at the grassroots level, individually guiding those women in desperate need of assistance, by providing practical assistance in police stations, the court system and medical intervention to victims of violence.” -Shahnaz Bukhari

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Shahnaz Bukhari and the Fight for Women's Rights

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