Khawar Mumtaz

Khawar Mumtaz is a Pakistani women's rights activist, university lecturer and author who as of 2017 is the Chairwoman of the National Commission on the Status of Women.

Mumtaz has a Master of Arts in International Relations and a diploma in French. In 1981 she was a founding member of the Women’s Action Forum (WAF), and has been associated with women's rights in Pakistan ever since. An event in February 1983, when women's protesters presenting a petition to the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court denouncing the proposed Law of Evidence, were broken up by police, left a long-lasting impression on her in her profession. On her mission in women's rights, Mumtaz has been quoted as saying: Women have to be seen as equal citizens, have to be protected, and have to be given their rights. Malala Yousafzai shows that elements exist that believe that women do not have the right to pursue their desires, their dreams, their destinies and that if women are given their rights, they will become destroyers. We also need to be more vigilant in our governance and in this regard, it is very important to restore the local Government system. This was really the trigger for women’s political participation and was the political school for women, particularly after devolution". In 1988, Mumtaz was one of three leaders appointed to coordinate the women's rights organization Shirkat Gah.

Mumtaz has much experience speaking publicly at lectures and training centres, particularly in fields such as women and development, politics, the economic and environment challenges facing women, and health. In 1989 she received the Prime Minister’s award for her book Women of Pakistan; Two Steps Forward One step Back?, which she co-authored. As a writer she has written on women's health and reproductive health. A recipient of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz award for her work in social service and promoting female equality, in 2005 she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

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