A salutation to Women’s History Month!

It’s March and there’s something in the air! A flurry of stories about inspiring women… releasing warm spirals of hope about human rights, peace and harmony.

Looking from a South Asian lens, here is our focus on some women who are making a big historical difference – seven women of impact with origin from the seven countries we support.

There are thousands of other brave women in this global league, many of them unsung. We acknowledge all of them with great humility, drawing inspiration and strength for our work at Ashiyanaa.

Afghanistan – Rina Amiri

rina - afghanistan

Racial tolerance and the rights of Afghan women

Rina Amiri fled Afghanistan with her family at the age of five, arriving subsequently in the US. Educated at Fletcher College, she worked at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 had a deep impact, and defined the course of her career: as activist, political analyst , mediation expert in conflict zones, well known commentator on Afghanistan and rights of Afghan women. She has spanned more than two decades serving governments, the United Nations and think tanks. In December 2021, she was appointed Special Envoy for Women’s Rights in Afghanistan. and is part of the US team working to evacuate and resettle Afghans who are at risk.

Bangladesh – Nusrat Jahan Choudhury

Civil rights and liberties for immigrants and disadvantaged people

Nusrat Jahan Choudhury has been leading reform initiatives for some time as the legal head of ACLU Illinois. She is now nominated by President Joe Biden as a judge to the United States Court of the Eastern District of New York. If this goes through, Ms Choudhury will be the first Bangladeshi American, the first Muslim American woman, and the second Muslim American person to serve as a federal judge!

Her ACLU profile says she has “led litigation to protect immigrants from dangerous detention conditions.” Her special focus has been on challenging racial profiling and against discriminatory practices towards people of color and also LGBTQIA+ people.

Bhutan – Kesang Chuki Dorjee

Increasing the measure of happiness for women and children

Kesang Chuki Dorjee was born in the US, educated in India and but returned to her native Bhutan to become a film maker and politician. Her focus has been the status of women and welfare of children in Bhutan’s young democratic structure. Her internationally acclaimed social documentaries have helped bring change, and led to a greater number of Bhutanese women joining public life. Kesang Chuki Dorjee also exerts influence in the government – she has been member of the National Council of Bhutan, since May 2018.

Bhumika Shrestha – Nepal

A role model for the ‘other’

Bhumika Shrestha, transgender and activist, model and actor, is an awardee of the International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards 2022. Her story of enormous courage to overcome stigma and achieve her own identity has been the foundation of a gender minorities’ rights movement in Nepal. Through her activism she influenced public thought in a highly conservative society, leading to a law permitting a third gender identity on citizenship documents. Bhumika Shrestha’s work extends from policy to grasroots level, ensuring the all round welfare of the LGBTQI+ people.

India – Veena Reddy

Partnership for development

Career diplomat Veena Reddy is the new Mission Director for USAID in India, leading the activities in India and Bhutan. She has wide and varied experience in development, as Mission Director in Cambodia, overseeing programs in food security, environment, health, education, child protection, and democracy and governance. Now Veena Reddy plans to strengthen and develop the seven decades of partnership with India and support its development goals relating to clean energy, environment, climate change and Covid-19.

Pakistan – Sadaf Jaffer

Making a change at the local level

Sadaf Jaffer is the first female Muslim mayor to be elected in the US. Her public life runs in tandem with her work as Postdoctoral Research Associate in South Asian Studies at Princeton University. Activist, scholar and politician in one, Sadaf Jaffer sees herself in a better position to influence and transform attitudes at the local community level. She is a passionate advocate for for racial, economic, and gender justice and hopes that more South Asians will follow in public life: “We all win when more members of our society are informed and active in their communities.”

Sri Lanka: Radhika Coomaraswamy

Revealing reports from conflict zones

Radhika Coomaraswamy, a lawyer by training, is an internationally known human rights advocate and a former UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. Her reports on violence against women in different parts of the world, in war time, in prisons, and human trafficking have sought clarifications from governments. She has visited conflict areas to draw attention to the plight of the vulnerable: “There will be no sustainable peace in any part of the world unless it is inclusive and protects and empowers the vulnerable. I hope to be that voice.“

A salutation to Women’s History Month!

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