Maleeka Bokhari, an alumna of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, has been honoured as one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for 2021.

Maleeka, who is the Parliamentary Secretary for Law and a justice barrister in her native Pakistan, joins a dynamic community of more than 1400 members from 120 nationalities, who will work together to make positive global changes.

She was awarded a bursary from the Foundation in 2004 and went on to win the Helena Kennedy QC Scholarship Award in 2007 after obtaining her LLB Hons.

Maleeka has over 10 years of legal experience and is passionate about law reform and gender equality. She is currently at the forefront of various law reforms in Pakistan – such as an action plan for women in the justice system.

Maleeka thanked the Foundation after receiving the honour: “Thank you to everyone at the Helena Kennedy Foundation for being part of my journey. I cannot express enough gratitude for everything you all did for me. Baroness Kennedy remains my inspiration!”

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC offered her congratulations: “We are delighted Maleeka has been awarded young global leader of 2021. She was awarded a bursary by the Foundation in 2004 and showed huge potential at the time. We are so proud of her what she has achieved and continues to do  tremendous work in Pakistan as an MP.”

You can read more about Maleeka via her profile on the Young Global Leaders website here. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram.