Zohra Yusuf

Zohra Yusuf (born 2 May 1950, India) 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] She is the former Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Zohra Yusuf
Born2 May 1950.
India
NationalityPakistani
EducationHoly Cross College, Dhaka.
OccupationChairperson Human Rights Commission Pakistan, 2011-2016

Education

Zohra graduated from Holy Cross College, Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).[3]

Career

After graduating, Zohra Yusuf started work as an editor and later became the general manager of research and development department in the Dawn group of newspapers.[2] From 1971 to 1981 she worked at MNJ Communications as an advertiser.[4] During the 1980s, she became an editor for The Star, a weekend newsletter. She joined Spectrum Communication Y&R as creative director in 1986.[3] 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 became the chairperson of HRCP before becoming chairperson in 2011. Yusuf was also elected Vice President of FIDH in 2013. She was re-elected Co-chairperson of HRCP for the 2014–16 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

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

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

References
  1. "Pakistan and violence against women: Small steps towards rights | Dialogue | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  2. Zohra Yousaf. "FIDH" (PDF).
  3. "Zohra Yusuf". VMLY&R. 2019-10-30. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  4. "Zohra Yusuf". Effie Pakistan. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  5. "Silence from judiciary over media attacks increases self-censorship, Pakistan's journalists say". Committee to Protect Journalists. 2018-07-20. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  6. HRCP (2011-04-17). "Zohra Yusuf new HRCP head". HRCP Blog. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  7. "Interview: Zohra Yusuf". Newsline. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  8. Inam, From InpaperMagazine | Moniza (2013-03-03). "WAF — the beginning". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  9. "Past in Perspective". The Nation. 2020-07-07. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  10. "Five Questions". The Nation. 2018-02-26. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  11. "Fighting Hudood, protecting women". Himal Southasian. 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  12. "DAWN - Features; June 5, 2002". DAWN.COM. 2002-06-05. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  13. women under siege. "women under seige" (PDF).
  14. Salman, Peerzada (2013-03-01). "'Women's rights movement is a political struggle'". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  15. Saeed, From InpaperMagazine | Hilda (2013-03-03). "The first spark". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  16. "Zohra Yusuf, Author at The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  17. Sumbul, Deneb (March 2019). "Interview: Zohra Yusuf". Newsline. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
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