Hadiqa Bashir, a 22-year-old activist from Swat won the prestigious Global Citizens Youth Leader Award for her efforts in advocating women’s rights and fighting against underage marriage in her region.
She has become the first Pakistani to win this esteemed accolade which adds to her illustrious career as an advocate for gender equality and rights.
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Bashir is the founder of the organization ‘Girls United for Human Rights’. The young girl has dedicated herself to protecting and empowering women and underage girls in Swat Valley. Her exemplary commitment to her cause has garnered her global recognition.
Global Citizen paid tribute to Hadiqa Bashir by highlighting her strong leadership qualities and advocacy efforts, emphasizing her belief in the transformative power of education in tribal areas. Her profile on the platform underscored her noteworthy contributions to promoting social justice in Pakistan.
After being honored with prestigious awards like the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award and the Asian Girls Ambassador Award, Hadiqa’s recent accomplishment further cements her role as a symbol of hope and motivation for young activists globally.
At the age of 14, she won the Asian Girls Human Rights Ambassador Award. Again, she was the first Pakistani girl to receive this accolade. The young girl dedicated her award to the women of Kashmir at that time.
“I stand in unity with the mothers, sisters and brothers of Kashmir who are victims of violence committed against them by the Indian forces,” she said. “Pakistan is a peace loving country and daughters of Pakistan do not support war as they believe war cannot bring peace. Wars only bring devastation.”
Upon receiving the award, Hadiqa vowed to “fight for the rights of women and young girls, from Syria to Palestine, Kashmir and Myanmar”, and raise her voice for her “Muslim sisters and sisters from all over Asia”.