Asma Jahangir
Asma Jilani Jahangir (Urdu: عاصمہ جہانگیر )(born 1952 Lahore) is a Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist. She has been the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief of the Commission on Human Rights since 2004. She took over this position from being UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary and Summary Executions.
Born into a family with a long history of human rights work, Jahangir herself became involved at a young age in protests against the military regime in Pakistan. She completed her law degree in 1978.
She cut her teeth during agitation against the Hudood Ordinance put in place as part of Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's Islamization program in Pakistan. She is a founding member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and has served as Secretary-General and later Chair of the same.
Asma Jahangir is also law partner and co-founder with her sister Hina Jilani of Pakistan's first all-female law practice.
A fictionnal character based on her career is depicted in the movie Veer-Zaara, the role was played by Rani Mukerji. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Personal life
She has a son and two daughters. Sulema Jahangir, her daughter, is following her mother's footsteps, working to become a lawyer.
External links
- Profile of Asma Jahangir
- News Report on appointment as Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
- UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
- Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
- Time Magazine profile
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