Nayyab Ali
Born
Okara, Punjab, Pakistan
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Activist and politician

Nayyab Ali is a Pakistani human rights defender, transgender activist and social scientist with ten years of experience in working on gender equality, livelihoods and economic empowerment. As an independent consultant, she has been associated with UN agencies to advocate transgender rights. In 2020, she was awarded the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights.[1] She became one of the first few transgender people who ran for election in the 2018 Pakistan elections.[2][3] She is the first Pakistani to receive the GALA awards.[4] She is first Transgender Woman to elect as Co- Chairperson of EVAW/G Alliance.[5] In 2020, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan declared Ali as Gender Equality Advocate in Pakistan.[6]

As a researcher and renowned activist, working on gender and minority inclusion issues, Nayyab Ali has been a resource person for building law enforcement agencies' capacities and sensitisation across Pakistan and for tackling the political, institutional and social challenges of the transgender community. Her expertise, experience and personal journey have led her to become the national coordinator of All Pakistan Transgender Election Network, to be an active member of the special committee formed for the review of the bill, which became the Pakistan transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 and also to create the first school for Okara's transgender community.[7]

Personal life

Ali was born in Okara city, Punjab district.[8] She was disowned by her family at age 13, when she was in her eighth grade, after coming out as transgender.[9] She moved to her grandmother's house, where she continued her education. Ali started working for transgender rights when she was 17 years old. Later on, she started living with a Guru; the head of transgender sanctuaries.[10] She was a victim of acid attacks and was harassed during her time as a student.[11]

Education

Ali is among the few educated transgender people in her country.[12] She pursued a bachelor's degree in botany, from the University of Punjab and later did her master's degree in international relations from Preston University, Islamabad.[13][14]

Career

Teaching

Ali was a teacher prior to her political career.[15] She also has served as Transgender Rights Expert Consultant and a Master Trainer at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).[16]

Activism

Ali began advocating for transgender rights at an early age.[17] She has worked for the welfare of transgender community in Pakistan and also started her own venture, the 'Khawaja Sira Community' in Okara, which offers a basic literacy and numeracy programme, vocational training, life skills education and driving classes for the transgender community.[18][19] She has served as Chairperson, All Pakistan Transgender Election Network (APTEN). For the past decade, Ali has given technical support to government institutions to improve the lives of her community and ensure their basic human rights.[20]

Ali had provided technical support for community input and for setting up a basic legislative framework for the protection of Transgender Rights in Pakistan.[21]

Politics

In 2018, a historic bill was enacted that granted the transgender community the right to obtain legal documents, vote, and stand in election.[22][23] Ali and 12 other transgender candidates became the first transgender candidates to stand in the 2018 Pakistan elections.[24][25] She stood for the national assembly seat NA-142 in Okara in the 2018 elections on PTI's Ayesha Gulalai's seat[26][27] and received a total of 1197 votes, which was greater than many of her female counterparts.[28][29]

Ali is also a member of the provincial voter committee of the Election Commission of Pakistan.[30] and also a part of the All Pakistan Transgender Election Network in Punjab.

Awards

Nayab Ali became the first person from Pakistan to receive the GALA International Activist Award held in Dublin, Ireland in 2020.[13][31] The awards, which are organized by the National X Federation of Ireland (NXF), recognized Nayab as "an international activist outside of Ireland who works tirelessly to promote the full equality and inclusion of gender minorities people in society".[32][33] She is a laureate of the Franco - German Prize for Human Rights & Rule of Law,[34] and of APCOM HERO ASIA Award under Transgender Category in 2020.[35]

Nayyab Ali was the first Pakistani transgender person to win the 2nd Interactive Youth Forum (ISYD) 2020 award on working for ensuring basic rights to her fellow community.

References

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  3. "13 transgenders to contest Pak elections". Business Standard. ANI. 2018-06-14. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  4. "Trans Woman Nayab Ali". News One (in Urdu). 2020-02-11. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  5. MTK (2019-07-24). "Nayyab Ali – first trans-woman, elected co-chairperson of EVAW/G Alliance". PakNGOs. Islamabad. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
  6. Jamshaid, Umer (2020-08-10). "UNDP Declares Nayyab Ali As Gender Equality Advocate In Pakistan". UrduPoint. Islamabad. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
  7. "Services for transgenders cause in Pakistan". The News International. Islamabad. 2020-12-11. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
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  9. Ali, Zulfiqar; Bisset, Victoria (2018-07-19). "The transgender acid attack survivor running for parliament". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
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