Palwasha Hassan is the Director of Afghan Women’s Educational Center. She holds a master’s degree in Post-war Recovery Studies from York University, UK and has been a former fellow of the United States Institute of Peace. She is a dedicated Women’s Rights activist pioneering many critical works for promotion of women’s rights and civil society in Afghanistan that includes the first women’s legal support organization Roazana, Women and Street Children Center, Madadgar Women and Children Safe Home Network, Irfan Cultural Center among others. She is a strong advocate on women in peace building and women’s political participation. Palwasha Hassan started her career as volunteer with AWEC while pursuing her school studies as a refugee in Pakistan. As a young woman activist she laid the foundation of the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN), a visionary movement of women which up to date is playing a pivotal role in Women’s right lobby in the country for the last twenty years.
Key Achievements:
· One of the 1000 women nominees for the Noble Peace AWARD Initiative from Afghanistan.
· Civil Society designated speaker in the Afghanistan Development Forum 2003, 2004.
· Civil Society designated speaker and representative in Tokyo (2002) and Kabul (2010).
· Civil Society nominee for Women Ministry 2010.
· First Afghan country director of International Organization in Afghanistan Rights and Democracy and later Child Fund International Afghanistan country office.
Founding member of the Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium (HRRAC).