Farzana Yaqoob

Former Minister for Social Welfare and Women’s Development in Kashmir

Farzana Yaqoob is passionate about empowering women in rural areas through targeted policy and legislation. As Minister for Social Welfare & Women’s Development in her home state, she has improved access to educational, healthcare and legal resources for women in a self-governing area of Pakistan, on the militarized border with India.

She has revitalized the ministry, creating resources for vocational education and support for orphans, and established centers for special education and the rehabilitation of drug addicts. While on fellowship, Yaqoob examined conflict resolution and climate change mitigation strategies for Kashmir.