Nominated by:
Pakistan Girl Guides Association
Languages spoken:
Urdu as mother tongue and fluent English
PERSONAL STATEMENT
What motivates you to serve on the WAGGGS World Board, and how would your experiences, skills, values, and perspective contribute to its governance, strategic leadership, and the global mission of the Movement?
I am standing for election to the WAGGGS World Board because Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting has shaped my values, leadership, and lifelong commitment to service since childhood. The Movement empowered me first as a girl and later entrusted me with leadership responsibilities as a woman. I now seek to serve at the level of global governance, contributing my experience and perspective to support WAGGGS in remaining inclusive, relevant, and future-focused.
My Guiding journey spans nearly two decades, with a strong focus on expanding access, strengthening quality, and building sustainable volunteer systems. From 2015 to 2023, I served as National Guides Commissioner for Ismaili Guides across Pakistan, providing leadership to a programme serving approximately 30,000 girls nationwide. My role required extensive engagement across diverse contexts, including remote and underserved communities, to ensure that girls had meaningful access to high-quality Guiding experiences.
Under my leadership, membership grew from approximately 5,000 to 30,000 Guides, while maintaining strong programme standards and recognition at national level. This experience reinforced my belief that growth must be accompanied by quality, and that inclusion and excellence must go hand in hand. It also shaped my understanding that effective governance must remain connected to the realities of girls, volunteers, and communities on the ground.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I led national efforts to ensure continuity of Guiding. This included sustained virtual engagement over six months, alongside the development of offline activity packs for girls without internet access. These initiatives ensured that participation remained inclusive, particularly for those most at risk of exclusion.
Beyond Guiding, I have led international youth engagement through Global Encounters camps and internships in Pakistan, working with participants and partners from multiple countries and strengthening cross-cultural understanding and collaboration. As Honorary Secretary of the Aga Khan Youth & Sports Board, I have also contributed to national-level planning and governance of youth initiatives across sports, arts, and leadership development.
Professionally, I serve as a General Manager (South), Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKESP) and school leader within a large education system, overseeing multiple institutions. My work involves governance engagement, financial oversight, risk management, and organisational development, strengthening my ability to contribute effectively at Board level.
In 2025, my leadership was recognised through the Asia Pacific Leadership Award for Commissioners. However, my motivation to serve comes from a deep commitment to the Movement and its impact. As a World Board member, I would bring a grounded Global South perspective, experience in volunteer-led systems, and a commitment to intergenerational and values-based leadership. I am particularly motivated to support WAGGGS in strengthening governance, expanding equitable access, and translating Compass 2032 into meaningful impact for girls and young women worldwide.