Association for Behavior and Knowledge Transformation (ABKT)

Deeply influenced by the social inequalities around her and inspired by her father’s social work in her early age, Shad Begum would become a known figure nationally and internationally because of her determined struggle to improve the conditions of the marginalized segments, especially women, of her community in the northwest of Pakistan – a deeply religious and conservative area where Taliban publically executed men and women on non-conformity to their version of Islam. Shad Begum is the founder and executive director of the non-profit Association for Behaviour & Knowledge Transformation (ABKT). Her organization was uprooted during the Taliban take-over in Swat due to massive displacement of people in 2009-2010. Her resilience kept ABKT alive during enormous odds. Shad Begum is Ashoka fellow and in recognition of her untiring struggle for the economic and political empowerment of women and girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; she was awarded the “International Woman Courage Award” in 2012 by the U.S. Department of State.

For further details feel free to contact on shadbegum@gmail.com