Roshaneh Zafar

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Roshaneh Zafar
روشانے ظفر
NationalityPakistani
Alma mater
OccupationWomen's development activist
Known forKashf Foundation

Roshaneh Zafar (Urdu: روشانے ظفر) is a Pakistani development activist, working in the field of women's economic empowerment. She created the first specialised microfinance organisation in Pakistan, the Kashf Foundation, in 1996 which has served over 5 million women entrepreneurs across Pakistan and continues to pave the path for women's economic empowerment through its holistic financial services program.[1][2][3]

Career[edit]

Zafar was born and raised in Lahore, the daughter of Pakistani politician S. M. Zafar and granddaughter of noted musician Malika Pukhraj.[4][5] After graduating from the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, Zafar studied development economics at Yale University and upon returning to Pakistan she worked for the World Bank in Islamabad in the early 90s. In 1996, inspired by Bangladesh's Grameen Bank and its founder Muhammad Yunus, Zafar established Pakistan's first specialised microfinance organisation, the Kashf Foundation, in Lahore, with financial support from Yunus and her grandmother Malika Pukhraj, who strongly believed in empowering women.[6][4]

Zafar was one of the first Ashoka Fellows in Pakistan, and was named a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur in 2004.[7] In 2007, Zafar was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan's highest civilian awards, by then-president Pervez Musharraf in recognition of her work in the field of development and women's empowerment.[8] That same year, Zafar also won the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.[9]

As a result of her work in women's economic empowerment, Zafar has served on multiple global agenda councils established by the World Economic Forum, including on the gender pay gap and Pakistan; she also served as a member of the United Nation's advisors group on inclusive financial sectors.[10] She was also a member of the Prime Minister's Task Force on Austerity and Civil Services reforms from 2018 to 2020 and was a member of the Pakistan Medical council to promote reforms in the health care sector. She has held a diverse portfolio of directorships including the Women's World Banking, the Pakistan Microfinance Network, Finca Bank, Kinnaird College for women to name a few.

Zafar has also worked extensively in the media in order to raise awareness on gender issues. The first collaboration was with HUM TV on the drama serial Rehaii (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehaai) which raised the issue of child marriage in 2011. This was followed by the highly acclaimed drama serial again on HUM TV on child sexual abuse awareness and prevention, Udaari (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udaari.) The current Kashf Foundation production Kuch Ankahi is being shown on ARY Digital.

Spouse: Hassan Kausar (http://hassankausardesign.com)

Children: Maya Zafar

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Roshaneh Zafar: Social Entrepreneur Empowers Women". US Embassy IIP Digital. United States Government Department of State. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  2. ^ News Desk (8 March 2019). "Roshaneh Zafar - Founder of Kashf Foundation: Celebrating Pakistani Women". Global Village Space. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Kashf Foundation awards women entrepreneurs". Business Recorder. 24 March 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b Coleman, Isobel (2010). Paradise beneath her feet: how women are transforming the Middle East (1st ed.). New York: Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6695-7. OCLC 436030258.
  5. ^ "Roshaneh Zafar: Microfinance Pioneer in Pakistan". Women's World Banking. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  6. ^ Arabic; Africa, Middle East &. "Small Loans, Large Purpose: How Roshaneh Zafar Became a Leader in Pakistani Microfinance". Knowledge@Wharton. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Roshaneh Zafar featured in Ashoka blog on Forbes.com - Women's World Banking". Women's World Banking. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Obama pays tribute to Roshaneh Zafar of Kashf Foundation".
  9. ^ "Kashf Entrepreneurship Awards 2019". The Nation. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Roshaneh Zafar". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 11 April 2021.


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