Pakistan

Samreen Shahbaz is a gender and social inclusion policy expert. She has worked at national and regional levels in the capacities of both an advocate and a manager of multi-country legal and policy advocacy and research programs to advance the human rights of women and other marginalized groups. She is currently working with the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law, and Development (APWLD). Previously, Samreen has worked with the several international NGOs and multilateral development entities like the Asian Development Bank. Samreen holds a Masters in Public Policy from Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University.

As part of the Rise Up cohort, Samreen conceptualized and implemented Menstrual Matters, a multi-pronged intervention to address the issue of menstrual hygiene management among young girls living in low-income communities of Karachi. The project aims to provide an innovative solution to young girls to cope with menstruation who do not have access to hygienic sanitary options otherwise, along with information about healthy menstrual hygiene management practices.

Rise Up Cohort: Youth Champion 2016