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Zohra Yusuf

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Zohra Yusuf
Born (1950-05-02) 2 May 1950 (age 74)
India
NationalityPakistani
EducationHoly Cross College, Dhaka.
Occupation(s)Chairperson Human Rights Commission Pakistan, 2011-2017

Zohra Yusuf (born 2 May 1950) is an advertising professional, an activist[1] and a journalist who is lauded for her work in women's rights, human rights and media.[2][3] She is the former chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Education

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Zohra graduated from Holy Cross College, Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).[4]

Career

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After graduating, Zohra Yusuf started working at MNJ Communications as an advertiser. She worked at MNJ from 1971-1981. In June 1981, she joined The Star, (a publication of the Dawn Media Group)as editor of its weekend magazine. She joined Spectrum Communication Y&R as creative director in 1986.[4] She later became a chief creative officer of Y&R. Yusuf was a council member of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development for six years. She has also served as a bureau member of the South Asia Forum for Human Rights organization and was a board member of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative for seven years.

In 1988, Yusuf joined the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP); a non-profit member organization of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).[5] In 1990, she was elected council member and served as vice-chairperson as well as secretary-general. In 2011, Yusuf was elected the chairperson of HRCP. Yusuf was also elected Vice President of FIDH in 2013. She was re-elected co-chairperson of HRCP for the 2014–17 term.[6] Yusuf is also a freelance writer and has contributed to many books, journals and newspapers on topics such as media and conflict resolution, feminism and women's rights.

Activism

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Zohra Yusuf is an advocate of human rights and media. She is particularly known for her advocacy for women's rights and her associations with women organizations.

In 1979, Yusuf joined the Shirkat Gah; an organization created for women's rights in 1975. This was where Yusuf started her work in activism.[7] Joining the Shirkat Gah, Yusuf became one of the founding members of Women's Action Forum (WAF), an organization created for women's rights. The WAF started in 1981,[8][9] when the judgement in the Fehmida-Allah Buksh case[10] was announced under the Hudood Ordinance[11] rule during the Zia[12] regime.[13] The man (Allah Buksh) was sentenced to be stoned to death and the woman (Fehmida), who was a minor, was awarded 100 lashes in public. The judgement brought different women organizations together,[14] namely Shirkat Gah, Tehrik-e-Niswan, All Pakistan Democratic Women’s Association, APWA. The organizations formed a coalition and the Women's Action Forum was created. Yusuf along with other activists, participated in the WAF meetings and protests organized in Lahore. She also published articles in The Star, decrying the verdict.[15]

Yusuf has also published many articles on media censorship, women's rights and human rights in the Dawn and The Express Tribune newspapers.[16]

Awards

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Zohra Yusuf received the All Pakistan Newspapers Society award in 2011 for "TV Channels or Electronic Pulpits", featured in Newsline.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Pakistan and violence against women: Small steps towards rights | Dialogue | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  2. ^ Zohra Yousaf. "FIDH" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Interview: Zohra Yusuf".
  4. ^ a b "Zohra Yusuf". VMLY&R. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Silence from judiciary over media attacks increases self-censorship, Pakistan's journalists say". Committee to Protect Journalists. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  6. ^ HRCP (17 April 2011). "Zohra Yusuf new HRCP head". HRCP Blog. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Interview: Zohra Yusuf". Newsline. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  8. ^ Inam, From InpaperMagazine | Moniza (3 March 2013). "WAF — the beginning". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Past in Perspective". The Nation. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Five Questions". The Nation. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Fighting Hudood, protecting women". Himal Southasian. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. ^ "DAWN - Features; June 5, 2002". DAWN.COM. 5 June 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  13. ^ women under siege. "Women Under Siege" (PDF).
  14. ^ Salman, Peerzada (1 March 2013). "'Women's rights movement is a political struggle'". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  15. ^ Saeed, From InpaperMagazine | Hilda (3 March 2013). "The first spark". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Zohra Yusuf, Author at The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  17. ^ Sumbul, Deneb (March 2019). "Interview: Zohra Yusuf". Newsline. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
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