Overview

Yasmeen Shah is a leading Pakistani social activist, fisheries rights advocate, and regional policy actor with more than two decades of experience working with coastal and inland small-scale fishing communities. She is widely recognized for her leadership, policy engagement, and commitment to gender justice, food sovereignty, and sustainable fisheries governance.

She currently serves as President of the Noori Development Foundation (NDF) and holds senior leadership and advisory roles at national, regional, and international levels. Her work bridges grassroots mobilization with high-level policy processes, ensuring that the lived realities of fishing communities, especially women, are reflected in governance frameworks.

Organizational Leadership

President, Noori Development Foundation (NDF)

Yasmeen leads NDF with a focus on advancing the rights, dignity, and livelihoods of marginalized fishing and coastal communities, especially women.

• Empowering fisherwomen through leadership development and rights awareness
• Supporting advocacy on fisheries governance and environmental justice
• Addressing climate change impacts on fishing communities
• Strengthening women's participation in policy dialogue and media

National and International Roles

• President, Noori Development Foundation (NDF)
• Senior Vice Chairperson, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF)
• Regional Advisor – Asia, World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP)
• Member, Regional Advisory Group for Asia & the Pacific (RAG A&P)

Policy and Regional Engagement

Yasmeen actively contributes to regional strategies for implementing FAO Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines and supports alignment with national action plans.

• Advancing regional policy strategies
• Supporting National Plans of Action for fisheries
• Promoting human rights-based and gender-responsive approaches
• Strengthening civil society organizations

Climate and Biodiversity Work

• Linking biodiversity conservation with fisher livelihoods
• Promoting climate justice for coastal communities
• Ensuring fisher voices in biodiversity policy processes

Regional & International Forums

• Regional SSF Workshop, Bangkok
• RAG Asia-Pacific Meeting, Bangkok (2025)
• Nyéléni Regional Meeting, Sri Lanka
• Asia-Pacific policy dialogues and webinars

Women Empowerment

Yasmeen has played a key role in mentoring fisherwomen, enabling them to participate in leadership, advocacy, and decision-making processes.

• Supporting women in public speaking and advocacy
• Encouraging participation in governance and media
• Strengthening collective organization of women

Legacy and Values

Coming from a legacy of fisher leadership, Yasmeen is committed to integrity, transparency, and justice. She actively speaks against corruption and exploitation in the fisheries sector.

Strategic Value for NDF

• Connecting grassroots work with global policy frameworks
• Building partnerships with international organizations
• Amplifying fisherwomen’s voices
• Translating global commitments into local action

Conclusion

Yasmeen Shah is a powerful voice for small-scale fisher communities, combining grassroots experience with policy expertise. Her leadership continues to drive inclusive, rights-based, and sustainable development.