Najma Sadeque

Najma Sadeque is a Pakistani journalist, author, and human rights activist who dedicated her life to women's rights and environmental issues. She co-founded two major organizations, Shirkat Gah and the Women’s Action Forum (WAF), to combat human rights violations. Throughout her career, she worked as an artist, a painter, and a researcher on socioeconomic topics.

Early life and education

Sadeque was born in 1943 in Bengal, British India. She grew up in East Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh, within an atmosphere of land farming. This specific environment dictated her future thinking. She attended the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College in Dhaka. During her time as a student, she gained recognition for her special skill in writing in English.

At age 19, she held her first exhibition of paintings in Karachi. After she married, she moved to Karachi to begin her professional life. She initially worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency before transitioning into journalism.

Career

Sadeque began her journalistic career at Dawn. She later worked for The News and The News International. While working for The News, she produced "WE – a weekly magazine." This publication was later renamed "The News on Friday" and eventually became "The News on Sunday." These magazines covered a wide spectrum of topics for their readers.

In 1975, Sadeque and seven others established the NGO Shirkat Gah. She founded this organization to highlight human rights violations against women. In 1981, she co-founded the Women's Action Forum (WAF) in Pakistan. This move was largely dictated by the violations of women's rights occurring under the laws of General Zia-ul-Haq.

After leaving The News, she worked as a freelance journalist for various newspapers. She focused her writing on subjects related to gender issues, human rights, and the environment. Once she stopped working for newspapers, she devoted most of her time to promoting Shirkat Gah and the WAF. Her research led her to author several books, including How They Run Pakistan, How They Run the World, and How They Kill the World. She also wrote Financial Terrorism and Ground Realities.

Her articles appeared in many international publications and books. At the time of her death, she was editing an English translation of work regarding the Quran by her mother, Dr. Syeda Fatima Sadeque. In her final article for "You magazine" in The News, she urged activists to boost women's courage to vote.

Personal life

Sadeque died in Karachi on 8 January 2015 at the age of 72. She passed away due to renal failure and chest congestion. Her daughter, Deneb Sumbel, is a producer of documentaries. According to an obituary written by Sumbel, Sadeque was an indomitable activist who maintained her journalistic career for over 35 years.