Social Impact & Development
Mariam Khan
Founder & Chairperson, Community Development Foundation | Gender & Development Consultant
Community Development Foundation CDF
Biography
Mariam Khan is a gender equality, women’s leadership, gender-based violence prevention, women’s economic empowerment, institutional development and capacity-building consultant with more than 22 years of professional experience.
She has contributed to the creation, development, review, implementation and analysis of policies, frameworks, strategies, guidelines and action plans across development sectors. Her policy work connects evidence from communities and programmes with practical recommendations for governments, civil society, development agencies and international networks.
She is Founder and Chairperson of Community Development Foundation (CDF), Pakistan; Co-founder and Vice Chairperson of the Global Women Development Network (GWDN), USA; and Founder and Global President of the International Women’s Day Conference (IWDC) Global Initiative (2021–2030).
Her programme work spans gender equality, safeguarding, prevention of violence against women and girls, women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, institutional strengthening, governance, policy advocacy, economic inclusion, digital transformation and sustainable development at community, national, regional and global levels.
Her expertise includes programme design, strategic planning, policy development, institutional capacity building, multi-stakeholder partnerships, Training of Trainers, organisational development and leadership coaching, working with government, development agencies, civil society, academia and international networks.
Areas of expertise
- Gender equality and women’s leadership
- Women’s entrepreneurship and economic inclusion
- Gender-based violence prevention and safeguarding
- Policy and institutional development
- Rural livelihoods and capacity building
Key achievements
Key Achievements as a Development Practitioner 1. WEDIP Punjab: Designed and launched the Women Economic Development Initiative Punjab (WEDIP) to advance women’s entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, livelihoods, and market access. 2. Kisan Ki Beti: Launched the Kisan Ki Beti initiative to promote rural women’s empowerment, agricultural participation, and economic opportunities for women in farming communities. 3. IWDC Global Initiative (2021–2030): Founded and scaled the International Women’s Day Conference (IWDC) into a global women’s leadership movement connecting 170+ countries and 20+ thematic sectors by 2026. 4. Annual Global GBV Campaign: Led annual international campaigns under the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, advancing awareness, survivor-centred approaches, safeguarding, and digital safety. 5. Global Women Development Network (GWDN): Co-founded GWDN to strengthen international partnerships, women’s leadership, cross-country collaboration, and global advocacy. 6. Community Development Foundation (CDF): Established and led CDF’s institutional development and community-based programmes advancing gender equality, livelihoods, skills development, and inclusive economic growth. 7. Women in ICT Frontier Initiative (WiFi): Advanced women’s participation in information and communication technology through digital inclusion and technology-focused empowerment initiatives. 8. Women’s Agriculture and Livelihood Development: Designed community-based interventions connecting rural women with agricultural opportunities, entrepreneurship, skills development, and sustainable livelihoods. 9. Gender Equality and Policy Development: Developed and advised on gender-responsive policies, institutional frameworks, governance systems, and action plans for inclusive and sustainable development. 10. Capacity Building and Leadership Development: Designed and facilitated capacity-building and Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes in women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, livelihoods, governance, and GBV prevention. 11. Kitchen Gardening and Commercial Agriculture: Promoted kitchen gardening and commercial kitchen gardening initiatives to strengthen livelihood opportunities and economic participation at the community level. 12. Global Women’s Economic Advocacy: Built multi-stakeholder partnerships and led advocacy initiatives promoting women’s economic inclusion, leadership, and gender justice across development sectors.
International experience
Asia · Africa
INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE Turkey ● Leadership Development ● Women in Politics ● Women’s Rights ● Institutional Networking India ● Women’s Microfinance ● Community Banking Models ● Enterprise Developmen
Engagement interests
Speaker · Panelist · TV / Radio · Podcast · Mentor · Training
Profiles reflect information provided for the directory. All engagements and arrangements are subject to individual confirmation. Private contact details are not published. For an engagement enquiry, contact Balance 360.
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