Mahnaz Afkhami

We are proud to celebrate Aurat Foundation, a pivotal partner of the Women’s Learning Partnership, as it marks 40 years of fearless advocacy and transformative impact. Over four decades, its steadfast commitment to women’s human rights and democratic governance has reshaped Pakistan – and inspired the global women’s movement.

From its founding roots resisting military-era laws that relegated women’s testimonies and rights, Aurat Foundation has mobilized communities across Pakistan and served as an important example of courage and innovation for women’s movements across the Global South. Through national campaigns for reserved legislative seats, reform of Muslim family laws, and women’s political representation in local government, the Foundation has catalyzed structural change from the grassroots upward. Its network of over 170 district-level Community Action Committees and more recent Women Leaders Volunteer Groups have demonstrated how democratic participation is most powerful when it is community owned.

Since joining the Women’s Learning Partnership in 2006, Aurat Foundation has helped build women’s leadership training and parliamentary caucuses, supporting passage of at least seven landmark laws – from domestic violence protections to workplace harassment legislation and assistance for incarcerated women. Their pioneering Women Safety Audit with provincial and city stakeholders in Punjab deepened accountability in public transport and public safety for women across urban spaces. More recently, in the face of recurring natural disasters and economic crises, Aurat Foundation’s gender sensitive flood relief, developed with WLP-trained leaders, exemplifies how women’s organizations innovate in urgency and empathy.

Aurat Foundation’s courageous leadership, legislative breakthroughs, and grassroots mobilizations have not only advanced women’s rights in Pakistan – but they have also enriched democratic governance, women’s solidarity, and transformative potential far beyond. As Women’s Learning Partnership, we celebrate Aurat Foundation’s 40 years of unwavering activism, confident their legacy will inspire generations yet to come.