The Individual and the Legacy: Politics and Gender in South Asia - Mumbai
VIEW EVENT DETAILSJoin us as we explore political landscapes and gender dynamics in South Asia, through the journeys and experiences of Farkhunda Naderi. While navigating between personal passions and challenges against the backdrop of particular socio-cultural contexts and legacies, what can we learn about society in Afghanistan, the functioning of politics, and challenges in forming an equitable legislature? At a time when elections in India have raised the spotlight on the role and position of parliamentarians, and when women's empowerment remains a critical issue, this discussion will consider comparative situations, lessons from the past and future prospects.
Farkhunda Zahra Naderi was elected as the Kabul representative in the Afghanistan National Assembly in the 2010 Afghan parliamentary elections, with the support of National Unity Party of Afghanistan (NUPA). In 2007, the Central Council of the party appointed her the Head of Women's Committee & Youth Association. She has served as a Member of the Commission on Women's Affairs, Human Rights and Civil Society, has won the UNDP's N-PEACE award, and was awarded the title of Peace Ambassador by Universal Peace Federation. She is also President of the Matab Healthcare Center in Taimani and Founder of Chadari, an organisation that promotes women's rights in Afghanistan.
Gayatri Rangachari Shah is a Mumbai based freelance journalist who contributes regularly to the New York Times and its related media outlets, as well as major Indian newspapers and magazines. She writes on women's issues, education, culture and the arts. She is also a contributing editor at Harper's Bazaar. A graduate of Columbia University's school of journalism, in a former life Gayatri was a London based policy analyst for the UK Treasury, an equity analyst at Deutsche Bank in New York and a management consultant in New York, London and Boston. She has lived all over the world, most notably in Islamabad, where she finished high school.
This event is part of the inaugural edition of our Women Parliamentarians of Afghanistan series — jointly presented by Asia Society India Centre and the Consulate General of Canada — which promotes dialogue to expand the representation of women in leadership positions, works towards conditioning mindsets for greater acceptance of women in the workplace, and highlights successes in achieving prominent representations of women in positions of leadership.
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