Fatima Bhutto

With a family background in politics in Pakistan, and following the death of her father in 1996, Fatima Bhutto studied Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at Columbia University, before completing a Masters in South Asian Government and Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

For two years she wrote a weekly column for Jang, Pakistan’s largest Urdu newspaper, and The News, its English sister paper, which included written diaries from Tehran, Iran, Cuba and Lebanon during the 2006 summer war. In addition, she’s written articles that have appeared in a host of global newspapers and magazines as diverse as Vogue and the Guardian, among others.

Her writing and activism in Pakistan, which includes work with women and in women’s empowerment, Karachi’s slum populations and archiving press restrictions, has led to her being invited to speak on a wide range of issues in some of the world’s biggest cities.

In addition to her journalism and activism, Bhutto has written three books, including a book of poetry, a collection of first-hand accounts from survivors of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, and an internationally significant novel, which was published worldwide in 2010.

In 2012, she was selected to be a Young Global Leader for the World Economics Forum, one of 192 YGLs from 59 countries, all of whom were chosen for their outstanding leadership, professional accomplishments and commitment to society.

Without doubt, she is a highly accomplished, entertaining and passionate speaker.