Qamar Naseem
I believe if change could take place in my own home it could happen anywhere. I became an activist primarily because of this, I not only saw my mother suffer but have seen how my male family members suffered as well because of their ego and power trips. Today my sisters go to university without asking, they come and go as they like, they make their own decisions. It motivates me every day.
Qamar Naseem is the founder of Blue Veins, a women's right organisation based in Peshawar. Blue Veins, which is part of the “Girls not Brides” network, works to prevent early and forced marriage in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas, where threats and retaliation against those who fight for gender rights are frequent. In 2010 one of his colleagues in 2010 was beheaded. Qamar's home was attacked on 12 August 2013 by militants. In the same year, his brother was abducted by the Taliban and held in captivity for 59 days.
Pakistan is one of the most challenging countries in the region for human rights defenders, who face high risks including killing, arbitrary arrest and detention, abduction and kidnapping, surveillance, threats and judicial harassment. Many HRDs have had their offices attacked or burnt down and their colleagues killed.
