Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen
🌟 ICBian Trailblazer – Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen
Gender & Public Health Expert | Physician | Author | Social Entrepreneur | ICB Alumna | Ashoka Fellow | Founder – Kafe Kaam & Creative Anger by Rakhshi
🏫 ICB Roots – Where It All Began
Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen began her educational journey at Islamabad College for Boys (ICB), where she studied from Nursery to Class 5, completing her SSC in 1983. Even as a child, she stood out for her curiosity, confidence, and creativity.
She fondly credits her early grooming to inspiring teachers including Madam Shuja Qazi, Madam Sadiq, Madam Rukhsana Nazir, Madam Shaista, and Sir Baig. Her cherished memories include music classes, general assemblies, and being named “Best Child of the Week”—early signs of the leadership, expression, and empathy that would define her life.
ICB was not just a school for her—it was the foundation of her confidence, voice, and sense of purpose.
Profile Overview | A Multidimensional Public Intellectual
Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen is a multifaceted public intellectual whose work bridges medicine, public health, gender justice, media, political commentary, and social entrepreneurship. She is an accomplished author, blogger, columnist, and analyst, widely respected for her work on feminism, social justice, governance, public policy, and human rights.
A Globally Enriched Academic Career
Her academic journey reflects rigor, diversity, and global exposure:
MBBS – Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad
Master of Public Health (MPH) – Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), Amsterdam & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Diploma in Population & Development – University of Cambridge, UK
Diploma in Gender-Based Violence & Peacebuilding – Ghent University, Belgium
National Security, Media , International Program on Development & Stability – National Defence University
- Legislative Fellowship – U.S. Department of State
- Research fellow (BIARI)-Brown University-US Leadership & Peace fellow-IAF/FNF-Germany
Legislative Fellowship (Gender & Youth Empowerment) – U.S. Department of State
- Recognized “thoughtpreneur”, using media for cultural and policy transformation
Additional certifications in social entrepreneurship, development policy & health diplomacy
Activism & Advocacy | Voice of the Marginalized
Activism is not just her profession—it is her life’s calling.
Founder of Creative Anger by Rakhshi, a creative resistance movement using writing, art, and mentorship for social change
Leading advocate for the rights of Stranded Pakistanis (Biharis), consistently highlighting their decades-long stateless struggle
Intersectional feminist activist since the 1980s
National voice against:
Dowry violence
Discriminatory taxation on women
Structural gender inequality
Academia, Research & Public Health | Evidence-Driven Advocacy
Her activism is firmly rooted in medical science, research, and global development frameworks.
Senior Gender Expert & Consultant for:
UN agencies
Asian Development Bank
Public Health Physician & Specialist in:
Reproductive health & rights
HIV/AIDS prevention & response
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) & Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG)
Adolescent health
Researcher & Policy Analyst
Authored landmark studies on GBV in Pakistan
Led COVID-19 data research on VAWG
Pioneer contributor to national gender data systems
Political Analyst & Public Commentator | Writing Power
Dr. Rakhshinda is also a formidable political and social analyst.
Regular contributor to:
The Express Tribune
The Friday Times
Writes extensively on:
Governance & democracy
Women’s political participation
Human rights & civil liberties
The 1971 crisis & Stranded Pakistanis, challenging state policies and collective amnesia
Through her books, columns, and podcasts, she analyzes:
Public policy
Women & taxation
Women in entrepreneurship
Power, inequality & justice
Media Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship | Creating Dialogue at Scale
A media pioneer since the 1990s, Dr. Rakhshinda transformed how gender and governance were discussed publicly.
First Pakistani woman to solely anchor a live current affairs morning show
Creator & Producer of the groundbreaking youth-focused series:
Gender Watch
Founder & CEO – Kafe Kaam
Began as an award-winning co-working space
Evolved into a digital media, podcast & social dialogue platform
Recognized nationally as a “thoughtpreneur”, using media for cultural and policy transformation
Trainer, Mentor & Global Consultant
Dr. Rakhshinda has trained and mentored:
Government officials
Parliamentarians
UN professionals
Civil society leaders & youth
In:
Gender equity
Peacebuilding
Human rights
Development leadership
Notable Global Fellowships & National Recognitions
Ashoka Fellow – Social Innovation & Systems Change
Friedrich Naumann Fellow / Peace Activist – Germany
PTV Award of Excellence (2001) – Gender Watch Pakistan
World Economic Order Fellow – USA
Brown University BIARI Fellow – USA
Ghent University–UNFPA Fellow – Belgium
PUAN Distinguished Alumna Awardee
Shamrock Women’s Social Enterprise Award (2017)
Youngest Gender Advisor to South Asia for CIDA (2001)
Duty Queens – A Voice for Pakistan’s Unsung Sheroes
Duty Queens, created and hosted by Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen, is more than a podcast—it is a national storytelling movement.
Through this powerful YouTube series, she amplifies the voices of ordinary women doing extraordinary work—across age groups, ethnicities, and professions. These are the women who may never make headlines but sustain communities with courage and consistency.
Each featured episode documents:
Resilience
Leadership
Service
Social responsibility
In doing so, Dr. Rakhshinda is creating a digital archive of inspiration for future generations.
Message for the Next Generation
“Be an empathetic person. Choose your battles wisely.”
From healing lives as a physician to shaping national narratives through activism and media, Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen represents the highest expression of what an ICBian can become on the global stage.
Connect
Email: dr.r.perveen@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen
🎙️ Duty Queens – A Voice for the Unsung Sheroes of Pakistan
Created and hosted by Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen, Duty Queens is more than just a podcast series, it’s a movement. Through this powerful YouTube series, Dr. Rakhshinda brings forward the unheard voices of women who are redefining courage, resilience, and responsibility in everyday life.
With her trademark empathy and vision, Dr. Rakhshinda highlights the lives and experiences of women from diverse age groups, ethnicities, and professions, women who may never make headlines, but whose impact is undeniable. These are Pakistan’s Duty Queens: the quiet fighters, the consistent achievers, and the unsung sheroes writing their own stories of strength and service.
This section of her webpage proudly features a few curated episodes from the Duty Queens podcast, each one a testament to Dr. Rakhshinda’s unwavering commitment to storytelling, gender equity, and social change. By documenting these real-life narratives, she is building a digital archive of inspiration and empowerment for generations to come.
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