Shaheen Sardar Ali

Shaheen Sardar Ali, PhD; FRSA is Professor of Law, University of Warwick, United Kingdom. Formerly founding Rector of the National Academy of Higher Education, Pakistan; Professor of Law, & Director, Women’s Study Centre, Peshawar University and Professor II, Oslo University. Professor Ali research interests lie at the intersection of Islamic law, international human rights law including human rights of women and children and family law. She is the author of 9 books, 45 journal articles and 32 book chapters as well as a number of reviews and reports for national and international bodies.

Shaheen has a diverse and rich experience beyond the academy including member of the International fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran (2022-2025), member of the expert panel on arbitrary detention in state-state relations set up by the Government of Canada (2024-2025) and Vice-Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (2008-2014). Some ‘firsts’ to her credit include (i) first woman law professor in Pakistan, (ii) first woman cabinet Minister for Health, Population Welfare and Women Development, Government of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan, (iii) first Chair of Pakistan’s National Commission on the Status of Women and (iv) first women law professor of Pakistani origin to become a professor in a UK university.

Shaheen is recipient of a number of national and international awards: honorary doctorate from the University of Oslo, Norway in 2024, the Public Sector Award (Asian Women Achievements Awards) 2005, the British Muslims Annual Award at the House of Lords, 2002; the Presidential Award (Aizaz-i-Fazeelat) in 1992 for contribution to the teaching and research in higher education (Pakistan). In 2012, she was named one of the 100 most influential women of Pakistan; in 2022, she was included in the 75 most prominent British Pakistanis.