She is executive director of Transgender Rights Consultants Pakistan and a Human Rights Fellow at Harvard.
Pakistani human rights defender Nayyab Ali. Photo: Facebook.com/nayyabokara
In a historic recognition of inclusion and diversity, Pakistani human rights defender Nayyab Ali has been officially shortlisted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the post of UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
“It is both humbling and deeply meaningful to be included in this process, not as a personal achievement, but as part of a broader struggle for recognition and representation. For the first time in the history of the UN, the name of a transgender woman appears on this list,” Nayyab Ali said in a message shared on X.
She further said that this comes at a time when the global anti-gender movement is actively seeking to roll back hard-won protections and exclude transgender and gender diverse people from politics, laws and public life – even within multilateral spaces.
“The shrinking civic space for OSIEGSB human rights defenders poses an urgent challenge to the universality of human rights themselves. Inclusion in this list is therefore more than symbolic; it signals that gender diversity, lived experience and expertise must be at the center of global human rights protection,” she added.
The United Nations has published the list of shortlisted and eligible candidates for the upcoming appointment of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders during the 61st session of the Human Rights Council. It is both humbling and deeply meaningful to be included in this… pic.twitter.com/sLckkThKLb
– Nayyab Ali – نایاب علی (@nayyabalipk) October 13, 2025
Speaking to APP on Wednesday, Nayyab said the shortlist was a reaffirmation of the UN’s commitment to equality and universality.
“This recognition is a reminder that the UN strongly upholds universality and dignity for all. If nominated, my goal is to strengthen the protection of human rights defenders, particularly those from gender diverse communities, who face violence and exclusion around the world,” she said.
The next phase of the selection process will be led by the Special Advisory Group, which includes representatives from Malawi, the Republic of Korea, North Macedonia, Guatemala and Turkey. The group will recommend candidates to the President of the Human Rights Council for final appointment during the 61st session.
Nayyab is currently the Executive Director of Transgender Rights Consultants Pakistan and a Global Human Rights Fellow at the Carr Center at Harvard University.
She played a central role in drafting Pakistan’s Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 and has received several international honors, including the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law (2020).
