Simorgh – Women’s Resource & Publication Centre Started in 1985 as a part-time initiative and formalised as a full-time organisation in 1995, Simorgh is a non-government, non-profit, feminist/activist organisation.

Simorgh’s main focus is research and dissemination of information that will enable women and men to challenge the dominance of ideas that support social and economic divisions on the basis of gender, class, religion, race and nationality.  Simorgh aims to redefine the culturally biased roles of men and women, and to promote not only equality between the genders, but to allow each individual to develop and find expression in his/her own right.

Simorgh acknowledges the fact that while women’s oppression cuts across class, race, religion, age, nationality and the politics of economic arrangements, it cannot be separated from these issues.  Thus, while recognising the interconnections between gender subordination and other forms of oppression, and taking into account the systemic discriminations in our own society, we do not discount the fact that income gains in the developed capitalist countries have resulted partly from the political manipulation and impoverishment of the Third World. Believing that cultural conditioning rather than biological differences defines the behavioural patterns of women and men, Simorgh is of the view that women must themselves play a more active role in bringing about the changes they seek.  The first step in this direction would be to empower then with knowledge, skills, economic independence, and an awareness of the role that the dominant culture – in collusion with the divisions of class, religion and ethnicity – plays in keeping them in their present position.

Simorgh’s position comprises the materialistic view of society, enlarged by feminism.  However, we have consciously avoided putting ourselves into any existing category, as defined by Western feminists.  We believe that we have to develop our own approach to our problems in accordance with our historical and socio-economic needs. Simorgh works with students, teachers, media professionals, NGOs and CBOs.  Our main focus being research and dissemination of information, we strive to achieve our objective through publications, seminars, conferences, documentary films, gender awareness workshops, and, skill dissemination and income-generation projects.

Simorgh has selected the following areas of focus in its agenda for change:

RESOURCE POOL

ACADEMICS

Anjana Raza

Volunteer (1992), Proj. Coordinator, Graphic Designer/Desktop Publisher (Rejoined in 2002-2005)

Teacher Training Project

BA (Liberal Arts), Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, USA

MA Goldsmiths University of London

 Kauser Sheikh

Researcher & Story Writer (1999)

Human Rights Text Books Project

M.A English Literature (Kinnaird College)

Study on Human Rights, Columbia University

Marium Abrar

(April 2001 – 2010)

Administrative Coordinator, Accounts In-charge

Coordinator Planting Seeds of Change: Human Rights Workshops for Consultation of Women’s Police Force. Also a translator.

MA Public Administration, University of Punjab

Hina Azfar

Editor Bayan (2003 – 2009)

LLB Punjab Law College, Lahore

BA University of the Punjab

Samiya Mumtaz

Editor Bayan Joined in  (1997 – Rejoined – October 2001 – Present)

Conference Coordinator (‘Politics of Language’, ‘Colonial Roots and Post-colonial Identities’)

Editor – ‘Engendering the Nation-State’ I & II

BA Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, USA

Naveen Qayyum

Proj. Coordinator, Translator and Editor (2002 – 2007)

Human Rights School Text Project (Urdu).

MA (Kinnaird College), University of Punjab

Shahina Hanif

Graphic Designer/Coordinator Publication (2004 – 2009)

MA SOAS, University of London.

BA NCA, Lahore.

Samina Choonara

Editor (Joined 2000 – 2002, Rejoined 2004 – 2007)

Honor Killing Project

Editor ‘Inner Courtyard’

MPhil Social and Political Thought, Sussex

MA Philosophy Karachi University

Sabeeha Latif

Field Researcher (2007 – 2010)

MA Education, MA Economics University of the Punjab.

ARTISTS/DESIGNERS & WRITERS 

Ahmed Ali (Artist – Professional)
Amna Shah Amna Yakin
Amna Zulfiqar
Bano Razee (Artist – Student)
Beenish (Artist – Student)
Khooban Hasan (Artist – Student)
Maaheen Ahmed (Writer – Student)
Maryam Rahman (Artist – Professional)
Murad Khan Mumtaz (Artist – Student)
Nadeem Basheer (Artist – Professional)
Nusra Latif (Artist – Professional)
Sahar Ghani (Artist – Professional)
Saba Khan (Artist – Professional)
Sara Hameed (Writer – Student)
Sara Khan (Artist – Student)
Zhila Shah (Writer)
Zoreen (Artist – Student)

PRINTERS

C Creative Printers (Shahid Pervaiz)
MagPie Printers (Faisal Khursheed)
Balance Publicity (Tabassum Salim)

Collective Members:

Ferida Sher (sociologist):

MA Social Work (Pb). MA Economics (Development Studies) (Manchester).

Work Experience: Over 25 years of teaching, Programme Manager in Population Planning and Grassroots Development. Gender Consultant and Resource Person/ Lead Trainer Gender Orientation workshops, training of trainer workshops etc, project analyst etc.

• Founder member: Women’s Action Forum 1981
• Founder member: Simorgh 1985

Nasrene Shah (educationist):

BA Karachi.  Postgraduate Diploma Social Studies Bedford College, University of London.

Work Experience: Over twenty-five years of teaching.

Founder, Director and Principal Lahore Grammar School System – a group of progressive schools for girls and boys.

• Founder member Women’s Action Forum 1981
• Founder member Simorgh 1985

Samina Bano Rahman (educationist):

 MA English (Pb). MA (Cantab).

• Founder Member, Director and Principal: Lahore Grammar School System.
• Founder Member: Women’s Action Forum 1981
• Founder Member: SAHE (Society for the Advancement of Education)

Saltanat Bukhari (Educationist):

B.A Punjab.

Founder Member and Director, Lahore Grammar School System.

Naheed Aziz (Gender Consultant):

MA History, University of the Punjab

Diploma in “Planning with women for urban development strategies for low income house-holds”, University of London, UK.

Diploma in communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.

Tauseef Hayat (Educationist)

 Aisha Amir Ahmad (Educationist)

WORK FORCE

Neelam Hussain

    Executive Coordinator  

Founder Member: Simorgh 1985 

MA English (Pb). MA (Leeds). Post-Graduate Research (Sussex).

Over twenty-five years teaching experience as Lecturer/Professor:

Kinnaird College for Women Lahore, Lahore Grammar School and

Professor of Practice at University of London SOAS

Nazia Hasan (2004 – Present)

Manager Programs

Masters (Gender Studies, University of the Punjab)

Women Executive Leadership Course, University of Queensland, Australia)

Shazia Azam (2007 – Present)

Manager Programs

Masters (Political Science, University of the Punjab)

Kanwal Muzaffar (2014 – Present)

Manager Programs 

Masters (Gender Studies, University of the Punjab)

Zil-e- Huma (2016 – Present)

Senior Researcher

PhD. (in progress) Gender Studies, University of the Punjab

Shafia Maqbool (2020 – Present)

Researcher

MPhil. (Education Policy and Development, University of the Punjab)

Zunaira Mehmood (2020 – Present)

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Masters (International Relations, University of Sargodha)

Arshia Yasin (2020 – Present) 

Researcher 

MS/MPhil. (Gender and Development Studies, LCWU)

Nida Afzal (2021 – Present) 

Researcher

BS Hons. (Sociology, University of the Punjab)

Nisha Ghani (2022 – Present) 

Project Assistant

Graduate (Fine Arts: Printmaking and Digital Media, NCA Lahore)

Ch. Amad Tahir (2022 – Present)

Legal Editor (Bayan) 

LLB (Hons), University of London

Menahil Shahid (2021 – Present)

Researcher (Bayan)

BS (Hons), Forman Christian College

Muhammad Usman Ali (2005 – Present)

HR Manager

BA Arts, University of the Punjab

Laeeque Ahmed (2000 – Present)

Graphic Designer / IT / Printing Administrator

Diploma Graphic Design, Punjab College

Waseem Allah Rakha (1998 – Present)

Manager Accounts

Graduate Forman Christian College, Punjab.

Certificate in Accounting & Finance, Skill Development Council

Seher Rashid Alvi (2014 – Present)

Accounts Officer

Bachelor in Commerce, University of Sargodha

Farhan Afzal Minhas (2021 – Present)

Accounts Assistant

Intermediate in Commerce, Punjab College

Sunny Masih (2009 – Present)

Office Assistant

Pervaiz Chaudhry (2021 – Present)

Driver

Ms. Zubaida Sadiq (1995 – Present)

Cleaning staff

Muhammad Abid (2020 – Present)

Guard