Association for Behavior and Knowledge Transformation (ABKT)

Shad Begum

Award-Winning Human/Women Rights Activist

Over 24 Years of Experience Managing Projects/Programs Focusing on Gender Equality, Economic Empowerment, Financial Literacy, Community Development, Inclusive Good Governance, Climate Adaptation and Grassroots Political Empowerment

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CAREER SUMMARY

Shad Begum’s dedication to the cause of women’s rights has led to significant improvements in the lives of marginalized communities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the newly merged districts. Through her role as the founder and Executive Director of ABKT (Association for Behaviour & Knowledge Transformation), she has implemented numerous initiatives aimed at promoting financial literacy, vocational skills development, and entrepreneurship among women. Her tireless work has not only empowered women at the grassroots level but has also contributed to the overall socio-economic development of the region. With over two decades of experience, Shad Begum continues to be a pivotal figure in advocating for gender equality, economic independence, and political representation for women in Pakistan.

Shad’s efforts in economic empowerment have been coupled with her leadership in enhancing women’s political participation through capacity building, advocacy, and mentorship programs designed to increase women’s representation and influence at the local government level.

Deeply influenced by the social inequalities around her and inspired by her father’s social work from an early age, Shad Begum became a nationally and internationally recognized figure due to her determined struggle to improve the conditions of marginalized segments, particularly women, in the northwest of Pakistan.

Shad is the founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Association for Behaviour & Knowledge Transformation (ABKT), an organization dedicated to the economic and political empowerment of communities in underserved areas of Pakistan. Her efforts have been especially impactful in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the newly merged districts (formerly FATA), where she has worked tirelessly to foster economic empowerment and enhance women’s political participation at the grassroots level.

During the Taliban insurgency and the mass displacement of people in the Swat-Malakand region in 2009-2010, Shad’s resilience kept ABKT alive against enormous odds.To effectively engage the illiterate communities, her work extends to the use of different locally adaptable and contextualized tools and techniques such as community training, pictorial manuals, and other accessible resources to ensure that the women she supports can understand and apply financial literacy and business skills in their daily lives, empowering them to become economically independent and politically engaged.

Shad has previously worked as a consultant for the UN Human Settlements Program on the “Building Gender Ladder Project” and with UNDP’s Women Political Participation Program. She has also actively contested local elections in 2001 and 2005 as an independent candidate, serving as a councilor in Dir Lower for 8 years. As an Ashoka Fellow, Acumen Fellow, and Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at NED, USA, Shad has gained global recognition. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the U.S. Department of State’s “International Woman of Courage Award” (2012) and the “Prize for Creativity in Rural Life” by the Women’s World Summit Foundation (2008). In 2019, she founded Women Voices Pakistan, an initiative designed to connect and amplify the efforts of women and girls across the country for a more equal and just world. As a TED speaker, she delivered her first official TED talk in Palm Springs, California, on November 29, 2018.

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERTISE:

Grassroots Political Empowerment: Played a significant role in increasing women’s participation in local governance by providing leadership training and mentorship to rural women, enabling them to contest elections and assume decision-making roles.

Leadership Development: Fostered leadership qualities in women, encouraging them to take initiative in community decision-making and business management.

Networking and Partnerships: Developed strong collaborations with government bodies, NGOs, and financial institutions to create opportunities for women’s economic and political advancement.

Capacity Building for Women and Farmers: Led numerous capacity-building workshops focused on economic empowerment, collective marketing, and financial planning, specifically tailored for women in KP and the newly merged districts.

Financial Literacy and Economic Empowerment: Over a decade of experience designing and implementing financial literacy programs that enable rural women to manage savings, calculate profits/losses, and develop investment plans.

Pictorial Training Methods: Expertise in creating pictorial manuals to simplify financial and economic concepts for illiterate and semi-literate women, making learning more accessible and effective. Through innovative training programs using pictorial manuals and interactive learning methods, Shad has helped women understand complex financial concepts and empowered them to take on leadership roles within their communities. Her work extends to providing women access to microfinance services, developing community savings groups, and equipping them with the skills needed to navigate collective bargaining and marketing initiatives.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

23 Years of Field working Experience about Gender Equality, Inclusive Democracy, Social Justice, Good Governance, Financial Inclusion and Climate Adaptation.

2 years of working experience as a provincial lead mentor with the Women Political Participation Program (W3P), a program of the Ministry of Women Development & Special Education & UNDP Islamabad.

10 years experience in the establishment & management of 48 Non Formal Basic Education (NFBE) schools in District Lower Dir & Upper Dir.

9 years experience in the establishment & management of Micro Enterprises Credit & Saving Scheme.

3 years of Working experience as a lead mentor (LM) & research analyst (RA) with the Women Political School (WPS) Project, a project of the Ministry of Women Development & Special Education  & UNDP Islamabad. Under this program, Shad Begum trained elected Nazims and Elected Women councilors in 10 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

2-month experience with The Asia Foundation (TAF) as a Monitoring & Observation Provincial Team Leader in voter education for voter registration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

3 years’ experience as joint secretary of NWFP Aids Consortium (NAC).

6 years experience in Local Government bodies twice as an elected Councilor at the Tehsil level and District level in Lower Dir.

2 months experience as a research analyst with Financial Consultants (FINCON) for conducting a research study on Business Development Skills in Dir Upper and Dir Lower.

Worked with UN-Habitat as a freelance consultant for the Building Gender Ladder Project in 12 districts of Pakistan.

Facilitated establishment and capacity building of District Communities on the Status of Women (DCSW) in Lower Dir, Upper Dir, and Malakand District.

Developed manuals on Gender Sensitive Planning and Budgeting and trained member’s DCSW and Government Officials in Gender Sensitive Planning and Budgeting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Participated in the 15 days “Practitioner Course on Local Governance in Germany and Switzerland”, organized by Hanns Siedel Foundation, Pakistan and Germany.

Author of paper on Local Government’s role in Disaster Preparedness and Management.

Founder, Women Voices Pakistan.

CURRENT POSITIONS:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ABKT

For over 24 years, Shad Begum has served as the Executive Director of the Association for Behavior and Knowledge Transformation (ABKT), a registered and nationally recognized non-profit organization founded in 1994. ABKT is dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in underdeveloped communities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, with a particular focus on the Swat-Malakand region.

Under Shad’s leadership, ABKT works closely with women leaders, local partners, and national and international organizations to provide women with the tools and resources needed to uplift their families and communities. With a strong foundation in vision, organizational systems, policies, and procedures, ABKT ensures transparency and accountability through annual external audits and periodic internal audits.

Shad has extensive experience managing projects and programs funded by renowned organizations, including USAID, DFID, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Global Fund for Human Rights, UNDP, WHO, and several government ministries. Through her leadership, ABKT has successfully completed numerous social development projects, contributing to lasting change in the region.

FOUNDER, WOMEN VOICES, PAKISTAN

In 2019, Shad Begum founded Women Voices Pakistan, an initiative to feature, connect, and amplify the efforts of Women and Girls for an equal and just world

CURRENT ASSOCIATIONS/AFFILIATIONS:

An ASHOKA Fellow originating from Pakistan, serving since 2001 (Lifetime) https://www.ashoka.org/en-us/fellow/shad-begum

Executive Council member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Coordinating Council (KPCC) 2008 -2011.

Joint secretary NWFP Aids Consortium (NAC) Peshawar 2007-09.

Fellow Member Aryana Institute of Regional Research and Advocacy (AIRRA) 2008-2009.

Working council member “Swat Study Group” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2009- 2010

Director Liaison & coordination Disaster Response Network (DR-NET) 2009-2011

Focal person Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter social architect’s network for development (SAND) 2009- 2010.

Provincial Coordinator Local Democracy Watch Group (LDWG) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2010-2011.

Member of Central Executive Council of National Humanitarian Network (NHN) Pakistan from 2012-2014.

Member High Advisory Council ICP Istanbul, Turkey.

Member adversary council International Women Peace Group (IWPG), Soul South Korea. 

Member of the N-Peace Network Strategic Guide Group, South Asia.

An active member of the Alliance Against Sexual Harassment (AASHA) since   2013 till present.

Regional Fellow at Acumen https://acumenacademy.org/meet-the-foundry/shad-begum/

Ambassador for Pakistan at the Female Waves of Change  (FWoC).

Speaker at TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/shad_begum_how_women_in_pakistan_are_creating_political_change

Member National NGOs Action Committee.

Member of the Management Committee & Co-Opted Members of Pakistan Red Crescent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa HQ.

HONORS AND AWARDS:

Certificate of recognition for “Outstanding Contribution to Food Production & Household Food Security” by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

“Best Social Worker Award”, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Directorate of Social Welfare & Women Development Department.

Prize for “Creativity in Rural Life” by Women’s World Summit   Foundation (WWSF) Geneva.

International Woman of Courage Award 2012 from the State Department United States of America (USA).

Awarded for “Valuable Contribution to Youth Empowerment & Peace Promotion in Pakistan”, by CHANAN Development Association (CDA).

CHOLISTAN Award 2012-2013 from Cholistan Development Council Bahawalpur, Pakistan on account of “Best Services in the Social and Development Sector”.

The Rising Rhino 2017 Award from Acumen Pakistan.

2019 nomine for Aurora Humanitarian Award.

2022, “Pride of Pakistan” by the ISPR, Pakistan.