Nayyab Ali

Nayyab Ali is a Pakistani transgender activist, with over ten years of work in advocating and defending human rights for the transgender community of Pakistan. Her work includes dealing with issues such as gender inequality and economically empowering and enhancing the livelihood of the transgender community. She received the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights in 2020, for her work with transgender rights. She became one of the first, amongst thirteen transgender candidates, to run for election in the 2018 Pakistan election. She is the first Pakistani to receive the GALA award. She is the first Transgender Woman to be elected as co-chairperson of EVAW/G Alliance. In 2020, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan declared Ali as a Gender Equality Advocate in Pakistan.

Personal life
Nayyab Ali was born in Okara, Pakistan. In eighth grade, she was disowned by her family after coming out as transgender. She subsequently lived with a guru, during which she furthered her studies. She pursued a bachelor's degree (BSc) in Botany from the University of Punjab, and a master's degree in International Relations from Preston University, Islamabad. During her time in school, she faced harassment. Ali is also an acid attack survivor.

Career
Ali was a teacher prior to her political career. She has also served as a Transgender Rights Expert Consultant and a Master Trainer at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Activism
Ali started her work for transgender rights at 17, by writing articles and discussing issues in the transgender community. Her current work includes advocating for the welfare of the transgender community in Pakistan, as well as managing the 'Khawaja Sira Community Centre' in Okara. The centre offers a multitude of programs for transgender individuals, including: basic literacy and numeracy, vocational training, life skills, education and driving classes. Ali's advocacy work has also included being an independent consultant with the UN.

She has also served as the Chairperson of the All Pakistan Transgender Election Network (APTEN). For the past decade, Ali has given technical support to government institutions to improve the lives of her community and ensure their basic human rights.

Ali had provided technical support for community input and for setting up basic legislative framework for the protection of Transgender Rights in Pakistan.

Politics
In 2018, a historic bill was enacted, granting the transgender community the right to obtain legal documents, vote, and stand in elections. Ali and 12 other transgender candidates became the first transgender candidates to stand in the 2018 Pakistan elections. She stood for the national assembly seat NA-142 in Okara in the 2018 elections on PTI's Ayesha Gulalai's seat and received a total of 1197 votes, which was greater than many of her female counterparts.

Ali is a member of the provincial voter committee of the Election Commission of Pakistan. and also a part of the All Pakistan Transgender Election Network in Punjab.

Awards
Nayyab Ali became the first person from Pakistan to receive the GALA International Activist Award held in Dublin, Ireland in 2020. The awards, which are organized by the National X Federation of Ireland (NXF), recognized Nayab as "an international activist outside of Ireland who works tirelessly to promote the full equality and inclusion of gender minorities people in society". She is a laureate of the Franco - German Prize for Human Rights & Rule of Law, and of APCOM HERO ASIA Award under Transgender Category in 2020.

Nayyab Ali was the first Pakistani transgender person to win the 2nd Interactive Youth Forum (ISYD) 2020 award on working for ensuring basic rights to her fellow community.