Aahung’s Executive Director Receives Joan B. Dunlop Award
March 2017:
Sheena Hadi, Aahung’s Executive Director, received the Joan B. Dunlop award from the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC) for its ground breaking work on reproductive health and rights.
IWHC is a bold and independent voice for the rights of women and girls since 1984. Over the years it has taken courageous stands and achieved political victories for women and girls globally and in local communities. The Joan B. Dunlop award is given in honor of IWHC’s Founder and President, who fought persistently for the rights of women and girls globally. In the past, the award has been given to women activists from Nigeria, Indonesia and Turkey.
Sheena and her team at Aahung successfully work with the Education and Literacy Department in Sindh — which has the country’s highest rates of child, early, and forced marriage—to integrate Life Skills Based Education (LSBE) content into the school curriculum
“I can think of no one more deserving of the Joan B. Dunlop award,” said Francoise Girard, President of IWHC. “Sheena’s deep commitment to Pakistan’s young people embodies Joan Dunlop’s tenacity in prioritizing the human rights of women and girls during her lifetime. Under Sheena Hadi’s leadership, Aahung is ensuring that thousands of young people can make choices about their lives and plan their own futures.”
Speaking on the occasion, Sheena Hadi said, “In Pakistan the politics and failures of the state have left women and especially girls, vulnerable without the support of education, agency, mobility, or health services. So in the true vision of Joan Dunlop, our collaborative efforts must continue to be strategic and bold to ensure that women and girls can claim their rights, have a meaningful voice and thrive in a world where their bodies and choices are finally under their own control”.