Naheed Afridi
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Enhancing Women’s Access to Public Services through Developing Women LeadershipPakistan
Naheed Afridi is from the Khyber District of the newly merged areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, also known as FATA. She has a master’s degree in philosophy and has been working for the rights of women from ex-FATA for the last thirteen years. As the founding member of Takkra Qabali Khawnday, the first-ever network working for women's political empowerment in ex-FATA, she has led the FATA reform process, conducted press conferences, and led protest rallies. Afridi also was honored as the first woman to run for a general seat in an election for the provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the former FATA. She ran this election campaign in a male-dominated society. Furthermore, Afridi led a historic election rally from Bab e Khyber to Ali Masjid breaking the centuries-old stereotypes attached to women in their society.
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Increasing Women's Political Participation through Voters' Education
Three workshops were organized to increase political participation and voter education for women in the newly merged areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (ex-FATA). The first workshop enhanced the political agency and leadership qualities of 25 women leaders and improved their understanding of overall political and electoral processes, women's social and political rights, and the importance of women's political participation. A second workshop raised the gender awareness of 15 local journalists in the Khyber district and sensitized them on the exclusion of women from the political process and the need to step forward in support of women's political rights. A third workshop fostered networking among key stakeholders for women's political rights and provided women leaders with several platforms to interact with political party leaders, civil society organizations, and journalists to voice their concerns and demand support for women's political participation. Due to these workshops, local women leaders are now exploring opportunities to join different political parties, several political parties are pledging to engage tribal women and launch female voters' education campaigns, journalists are being sensitized to the issue of exclusion of women, men in the community are engaged and sensitized, and the Aurat Foundation is working on replicating the model in other districts.
"The IVLP was a good experience-sharing opportunity. I learned that some of the major challenges faced by women in politics are common in the US and Pakistan, and the progress of women in politics in the US and their role in engendering democracy is inspirational for us." -Naheed Afridi
2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: Enhancing Women’s Access to Public Services through Developing Women Leadership
This project increased women's awareness of and access to public health, education, social and rehabilitation services, and socio-economic opportunities in District Khyber. In a series of workshops, female leaders identified the most pressing needs of their community in terms of service delivery and met with the relevant government departments/organizations for the redressal of those needs. Women in the community also learned about how to access various social welfare funds and opportunities, including the Zakat Fund (a social welfare fund), the Jahez Fund (a dowry fund), and different scholarships.
IVLP Exchange Experience
Naheed participated in the IVLP Project Strengthening Local Governance in the Newly Merged Tribal District in 2021, organized by the U.S. Department of State and the American Councils for International Education in partnership with WorldBoston and Global Ties ABQ. She also participated in the IVLP Project Strengthening Local Governance in the Newly Merged Tribal Districts in 2023, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center in partnership with the International Citizen Diplomacy of Los Angeles, WorldBoston and WorldOrlando.
U.S. Communities Visited in 2023
Washington, DC; Pensacola, FL; St. Louis, MO; Tulsa, OK
U.S. Communities Visited Virtually in 2021
Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Albuquerque, NM