Shad Begum
Director, Writer, and Social Entrepreneur in Islamabad, Pakistan
Deeply influenced by the social inequalities around her and inspired by her father’s social work at her early age, Shad Begum would become a known figure nationally and internationally because of her determined struggle to improve the conditions of the marginalized segments, especially women, of her community in the northwest of Pakistan – a deeply religious and conservative area where Taliban publicly executed men and women on non-conformity to their version of Islam.
Shad Begum is the founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Association for Behaviour & Knowledge Transformation (ABKT), an organization working toward the economic and political empowerment of communities in underserved areas of Pakistan. Her organization was uprooted during the Taliban take-over in Swat due to the massive displacement of people in 2009-2010. Her resilience kept ABKT alive during enormous odds.
Ms. Begum previously worked with the UN Human Settlements Program as a consultant for the “Building Gender Ladder Project,” as well as with UNDP’s Women Political Participation Program.
To encourage women at the grassroots level, Shad contested local elections in 2001 as an independent candidate and served as councilor for five years in Dir Lower.
Shad Begum is an Ashoka fellow, Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at National Endowment for Democracy, an Acumen Fellow. Shad is the recipient of numerous awards, including the U.S. Department of State’s “International Woman of Courage Award” (2012) and the “Prize for Creativity in Rural Life,” awarded by the Women’s World Summit Foundation (2008).
Other Awards
. Certificate of recognition for "Outstanding Contribution to Food Production & Household Food Security" by the Prime Minister of Pakistan
· "Best Social Worker Award", Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Directorate of Social Welfare & Women Development Department
· Awarded for "Valuable Contribution to Youth Empowerment & Peace Promotion in Pakistan", by CHANAN Development Association (CDA)
· CHOLISTAN Award 2012-2013 from Cholistan Development Council Bahawalpur, Pakistan on account of "Best Services in the Social and Development Sector"
. The Rising Rhino 2017 Award by Acumen Pakistan
· Speaker at TED Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/shad_begum_how_women_in_pakistan_are_creating_a_political_revolution?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare