Shama
Shama is an 18-year-old advocate for trans rights in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. She is a member of TransAction Pakistan, an organisation that addresses the collective concerns of transgender and intersex community including the recognition of their rights, and advocating for change promoting a direct connection to policy makers.
Defenders investigating human rights violations in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) face a particularly hostile climate, as they are targeted by security agencies, religious groups, militants, and armed gangs. Women HRDs face particular risks due to their gender. Besides threats by security agencies and armed groups, WHRDs can receive threats from their own family members, who exert pressure on them to quit their human rights work, or be threatened with the safety of their children. While the transgender community in Pakistan has made some strides in recent years, attacks on transgender HRDs remain widespread and the violence has been increasing. HRDs working on religious freedom and minority rights are also targeted.
