Nasreen Pervin Huq
Encyclopedia
Nasreen Pervin Huq was a prominent women's activist and campaigner for women's rights and social justice. She died in an accident at her home in Dhaka
when she was crushed by a vehicle driven by her chauffeur picking her up to go to work as Director of the UKnon-governmental organization
Action Aid. It is not known who the culprit is, however some say it may have been the driver paid off by a foreign figure.http://www.guardian.co.uk/otherlives/story/0,,1764869,00.htmlhttp://www.thedailystar.net/2006/04/25/d60425012016.htm
http://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2006/05/01/tribute.htm
, a private girls school in Dallas, Texas.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Biology from the State University of New York at Purchase
, Nasreen Huq turned to nutrition and studied for a Master's degree at the University of California, Berkeley
. One of her teachers there described her as "a woman with unlimited energy, enthusiasm, and idealism". After completing her studies she decided, unlike many other expatriate Bangladeshis, not to settle in the USA but to return home, because she felt that she could contribute to national development. Later on, she adopted a Bangladeshi child who lives with her family now.
is one of the largest non-governmental agencies in the world with a mission to alleviate poverty and empower the poor. Nasreen Huq joined the Research and Evaluation Division of BRAC and started her working life supporting BRAC's health and nutrition programmes. In 1992 she was recruited by the US agency Helen Keller International
as Policy Advisor and contributed to both a national nutritional surveillance project and to an innovative homestead gardening programme. In 2002 she left HKI to take up the post of Country Director of Action Aid in Bangladesh, a job for which she was ideally suited, as the agency has programmes in health, development and social justice.
As well as these official duties Nasreen Huq also contributed to many national and international agencies in the field of women's health and rights. She was a regular advisor on gender issues to the Government of Bangladesh; she was a member of the Governing Board of the Social Development Foundation in Dhaka; she was a member of the Bangladesh Committee for Human Rights and Governance Project; she was a member of a regional advisory panel for the World Health Organization
on reproductive health; and she was a member of the Programme Advisory Committee of the Asia Pacific Research and Resources Centre on Women and Health.
For almost 20 years Nasreen Huq also applied her natural sense of justice to her work as a volunteer with Naripokkho, a women's development charity, for whom she had coordinated both the Women's Health Team and the Safe Motherhood Team. Within Naripokkho Nasreen Huq founded and led a national campaign against acid violence to highlight this form of vengeance which led to the formation of the Acid Survivors Foundation
. Some 250 people are blinded or maimed in Bangladesh each year by having acid thrown on their face, many of them women because of their refusal to accept the advances of a suitor, but also a growing number of men, often because of disputes over land. Through her work with Naripokkho Nasreen Huq brought attention to this practice and helped survivors to obtain justice.
The universal nature of her Nasreen Huq's life was reflected by the fact that Buddhist, Hindu and Christian prayers were said at her funeral services in addition to receiving the normal Muslim rites. She is survived by her husband, Nurul Islam Bhuiyan, and by her 18 month old adopted daughter, Jamila Shuleka, who was in her arms at the time of the accident, but was unhurt. Her sudden death has led to theories that it was linked to a controversial plan for an open cast coal mine that Nasreen Huq was campaigning against http://www.observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1863721,00.html, though this has not been proven.
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
when she was crushed by a vehicle driven by her chauffeur picking her up to go to work as Director of the UKnon-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
Action Aid. It is not known who the culprit is, however some say it may have been the driver paid off by a foreign figure.http://www.guardian.co.uk/otherlives/story/0,,1764869,00.htmlhttp://www.thedailystar.net/2006/04/25/d60425012016.htm
http://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2006/05/01/tribute.htm
Early life and education
Nasreen Huq was born into a prominent Bangaldeshi family; her father, Rafiqul Huq, was an engineer and her mother, Jaheda Khanum, a poet and translator of poetry. Her early education was at a Catholic Missionary School in Bangladesh (Holy Cross Girls' School and College). Her parents then sent her as a teenager to The Hockaday SchoolThe Hockaday School
The Hockaday School is an independent, secular, college preparatory day and boarding school for girls located in Dallas, Texas, USA and surrounding areas...
, a private girls school in Dallas, Texas.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Biology from the State University of New York at Purchase
State University of New York at Purchase
Purchase College, State University of New York, is a public four-year college located in Purchase, New York, United States. It is one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the State University of New York system...
, Nasreen Huq turned to nutrition and studied for a Master's degree at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. One of her teachers there described her as "a woman with unlimited energy, enthusiasm, and idealism". After completing her studies she decided, unlike many other expatriate Bangladeshis, not to settle in the USA but to return home, because she felt that she could contribute to national development. Later on, she adopted a Bangladeshi child who lives with her family now.
Activities in Bangladesh
On her return to Dhaka in 1988 Nasreen Huq was recruited by the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee. Now known by its acronym, BRACBRAC (NGO)
BRAC, based in Bangladesh, is the world's largest non-governmental development organization. Established by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in 1972 soon after the independence of Bangladesh, BRAC is present in all 64 districts of Bangladesh, with over 7 million microfinance group members, 37,500 non-formal...
is one of the largest non-governmental agencies in the world with a mission to alleviate poverty and empower the poor. Nasreen Huq joined the Research and Evaluation Division of BRAC and started her working life supporting BRAC's health and nutrition programmes. In 1992 she was recruited by the US agency Helen Keller International
Helen Keller International
Helen Keller International combats the causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition by establishing programs based on evidence and research in vision, health and nutrition. Founded in 1915 by Helen Keller and George Kessler, the organization’s mission is to save the sight and lives of the...
as Policy Advisor and contributed to both a national nutritional surveillance project and to an innovative homestead gardening programme. In 2002 she left HKI to take up the post of Country Director of Action Aid in Bangladesh, a job for which she was ideally suited, as the agency has programmes in health, development and social justice.
As well as these official duties Nasreen Huq also contributed to many national and international agencies in the field of women's health and rights. She was a regular advisor on gender issues to the Government of Bangladesh; she was a member of the Governing Board of the Social Development Foundation in Dhaka; she was a member of the Bangladesh Committee for Human Rights and Governance Project; she was a member of a regional advisory panel for the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
on reproductive health; and she was a member of the Programme Advisory Committee of the Asia Pacific Research and Resources Centre on Women and Health.
For almost 20 years Nasreen Huq also applied her natural sense of justice to her work as a volunteer with Naripokkho, a women's development charity, for whom she had coordinated both the Women's Health Team and the Safe Motherhood Team. Within Naripokkho Nasreen Huq founded and led a national campaign against acid violence to highlight this form of vengeance which led to the formation of the Acid Survivors Foundation
Acid Survivors Foundation
The Acid Survivors Foundation is a Bangladeshi organization dedicated to raising awareness and preventing acid attacks and providing survivors with medical and legal aid....
. Some 250 people are blinded or maimed in Bangladesh each year by having acid thrown on their face, many of them women because of their refusal to accept the advances of a suitor, but also a growing number of men, often because of disputes over land. Through her work with Naripokkho Nasreen Huq brought attention to this practice and helped survivors to obtain justice.
The universal nature of her Nasreen Huq's life was reflected by the fact that Buddhist, Hindu and Christian prayers were said at her funeral services in addition to receiving the normal Muslim rites. She is survived by her husband, Nurul Islam Bhuiyan, and by her 18 month old adopted daughter, Jamila Shuleka, who was in her arms at the time of the accident, but was unhurt. Her sudden death has led to theories that it was linked to a controversial plan for an open cast coal mine that Nasreen Huq was campaigning against http://www.observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1863721,00.html, though this has not been proven.