Founders

Dr. Saman Yazdani Khan is the Founder and the current Director of the Centre for Health and Population Studies, (CHPS) at Lahore, Pakistan.  Her work at the CHPS involves both managerial and academic activities. The administrative duties include linking with other organizations at the financial and operative level. This is done at the international, national and regional levels. The academic duties included teaching and curriculum development. Despite this work load, Dr. Khan also conducts research.

Dr. Khan’s international experience is very useful for the work and development of the CHPS, particularly given the conditions and situation of certain section of women in her country, despite the advances of the last 50 years. Dr. Khan has been deeply involved with the WHO programs to improve the health condition of women, particularly in relation to reproductive rights. For instance, she was the Environmental Health Training Officer and Reproductive Health Focal Person, World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Cell, Islamabad, Pakistan. At WHO she has assisted in developing, monitoring and evaluating maternal and neonatal country activities, within the framework of the National Strategy for Reproductive Health. This was carried out in coordination with concerned UN and International agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. Dr. Khan has also experience in liaising with other UN agencies, including UNICEF. During 1998, she was the UNICEF Program Officer for Health and Nutrition. In addition to WHO and UNICEF, she has worked with several international organizations such as KfW Bank, the David and Lucille Packard foundation and Oxfam.

Dr. Khan has organized and participated in a large number of international conferences and workshops on matters related to reproductive rights, women’s health and population issues. Her engagement has included speaking, preparing and participating in workshops on sensitive issues like gender equality, child marriages, abortion and HIV/AIDS in Pakistan. She has also promoted the Millennium Development Goals and other matters related to sustainable development. Dr. Khan has been outspoken in her views, including in radio programs and in newspapers.

Her research has covered a variety of topics related to these matters, some of which has been presented internationally. Among these, it can be highlighted “Gender vulnerabilities in contracting HIV/AIDS in Pakistan” presented at the 3rd Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health, November 2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has also developed the Training manual on Social Development for Public Sector Decision Makers, for UNICEF, Lahore.

Dr. Khan’s research, as well as her current teaching activities at CHPS, is related to her training and background. Dr. Khan is M.B.B.S., from Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan, and MPH from Karachi University, Pakistan. Moreover, she has a M.Sc. in Community Health from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. In addition, she has had numerous teaching experiences. For instance, during the late 1990’s she was the Program organizer and Assistant Professor at the MPH Program of the Pakistan American Institute of Management Sciences, Lahore.

Amongst her different honours and awards, Dr. Khan has also recently been associated with the Stockholm Challenge as an international jurist.  Her engagement with the Challenge Award is highlighted by her background and her interest in health issues, women and reproductive rights, as well a balanced global development viewpoint.

Founding Members

• Dr. Muhammad Anwar
• Mr. Ghulam Yazdani Khan
• Mr. Aurangzeb Kamal Khan
• Dr. Ayesha Tahir Malik
• Mr. Babar Yazdani Khan adn Mrs. Raana Liaqat Ali Khan
• Mr. and Mrs. Zahid Rahman