SHAWANA SHAH
She/Her
Shawana is a Pakistani activist focused on the rights of women, young girls, and the transgender community. She founded Da Hawwa Lur, a political, social and economic development platform for girls that provides a space for policy advocacy, community sensitization, feminist movement building and provision of Psycho-Legal support services to the victims and survivors of sexual and gender based violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. Through community mobilization and organization, she fostered a women’s movement that developed the first Womanifesto in Pakistan, enlisting demands by women and for women. Through her non-profit organization, Shawana Shah has been able to build new alliances such as Men Coalition to Eliminate Violence against Women in KP/FATA, KP Working Women Union, Champions for Girls Secondary Education and Reproductive Health Rights Network. Since 2012 Da Hawwa Lur has been able to provide free Psycho-Legal support services to 5000 survivors and victims of GBV, trained 1000 youth on leadership and advocacy for women rights, sensitized 1000 transgender on SRHR and Fundamental Rights, established KP Working Women Union with 2000 women home based workers registered members as successful advocates for policy reforms, signed 9 MoUs with service providers for better services to survivors and victims of GBV and strengthening referral pathway and trained 2500 key stakeholders on pro women and transgender legislation and strategies towards gender sensitive reforms. Da Hawwa Lur launched the first of its kind Tele Legal and Psychological Counselling services during COVID pandemic along with menstruation kits for girls in rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Shawana is applying a grass root approach with collective decision making of marginalised communities towards the empowerment of women, girls and the trans community in the region.
Shawana Shah has been awarded with International Humanitarian Award 2016, National heroes Award 2020 and has been included on Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list. She has been the only Pakistani representation on the UN’s Global Youth Task Force.