“I had a dream to pursue my Ph.D. and advance interdisciplinary research in the field of gender studies. I’m interested in evidence-based policy research which can improve the social and economic lives of communities through fostering equity, inclusion and diversity.

My education has helped increase my ability to work on feminist research across different disciplines and projects, which in turn has allowed me to contribute to the work influencing advocacy and policymaking for gender equity. I have proposed innovative ways of integrating socio-economic development goals in urban transport planning for reducing poverty and building inclusive cities. My post-doctoral research at the South Asian Studies Unit, Institute of Ismaili Studies, in London, focused on female-centered rituals among the mystical and esoteric traditions from South Asia. I am studying the experiences and voices of female devotees at Sufi shrines in Pakistan, with a particular focus on using a feminist lens to understand how they assert their gendered agency through these rituals and practices. The study is based on my recent fieldwork in Punjab, where I also had an opportunity to visit local archives and libraries and benefit from primary sources in Urdu.

In ten years, I want to be recognized as a leading feminist scholar from Pakistan and I want to have published a few books. I would like to build people’s capacity to conduct community-led research embedded in feminist principles. This would mean encouraging more participatory and bottom-up research that is centered on bringing the voices of people to the forefront. I wish to continue my journey and keep working on research that can influence the lives of women around the world. I would also like to connect with other women who are working as research professionals.”