Anjum Nausheen Rahman (born 16 July 1966) is a New Zealand

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

community leader and human rights activist. She is an advocate for the rights of Muslim women.

Early life and family

Rahman was born on 16 July 1966 in the village of Mahuwara in the Indian state of

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

. Her family moved to New Zealand from Canada in 1972 when she was five years old, after her father completed a

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and was offered a post-doctoral position at the

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. She became a naturalised New Zealand citizen in 1976.

Career

Rahman was a founding member of the New Zealand Islamic Women's Council when it was established in 1990 and served as its first secretary. She is also a founding member of the Hamilton Ethnic Women's Centre (known commonly as Shama) and has served as a trustee on its board since 2002. Rahman was a spokesperson for the Muslim community following the Christchurch mosque shootings. In media interviews following the attack, she voiced frustration at the failure of the

New Zealand Security Intelligence Service The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS or SIS; mi, Te Pā Whakamarumaru) is New Zealand's primary national intelligence agency. It is responsible for providing information and advising on matters including national security (incl ...

to take concerns about violence towards the Muslim community,

Islamophobia Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism. The scope and precise definition of the term ''Islamophobia'' ...

and the rise of the

alt-right The alt-right, an abbreviation of alternative right, is a far-right, white nationalist movement. A largely online phenomenon, the alt-right originated in the United States during the late 2000s before increasing in popularity during the mid-2 ...

in New Zealand seriously. In response to the attacks, Rahman established the Inclusive Aotearoa Collective to combat discrimination. She made submissions and presentations to a parliamentary select committee on behalf of the Islamic Women's Council in support of gun law changes, saying that the tightening of those laws would prevent violence towards vulnerable communities. Since 2017 Rahman and the Inclusive Aotearoa Collective have advocated for a national strategy for inclusion and anti-discrimination.

Politics

Rahman stood as a candidate for the Hamilton City Council in 2013, and as a list candidate for the

New Zealand Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party ( mi, Rōpū Reipa o Aotearoa), or simply Labour (), is a centre-left political party in New Zealand. The party's platform programme describes its founding principle as democratic socialism, while observers descr ...

at the , and 2014 general elections.

Honours and awards

In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Rahman was appointed a

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for services to ethnic communities and women. In 2019, she was shortlisted for the New Zealander of the Year Award.

References

External link

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rahman, Anjum 1966 births Living people People from Azamgarh district Indian emigrants to New Zealand Naturalised citizens of New Zealand New Zealand Muslim activists New Zealand Muslims Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit New Zealand Labour Party politicians Unsuccessful candidates in the 2005 New Zealand general election Unsuccessful candidates in the 2008 New Zealand general election Unsuccessful candidates in the 2014 New Zealand general election