Zarin Hainsworth | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 1959 |
| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Alma mater | Aberystwyth University |
| Occupation(s) | Women’s rights activist, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Gender equality advocacy, women's rights activism, social justice initiatives |
| Spouse | Soroush Fadaei |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Order of the British Empire (OBE) |
Zarin Hainsworth (born August 1959) is a British women's rights activist and entrepreneur. She has contributed to gender equality and human rights discussions at the United Nations and within the UK government. [1]
Hainsworth was born in Kampala, Uganda, to Phillip and Lois Hainsworth. She earned a bachelor's degree in English and Drama from Aberystwyth University in 1983.
In 1997, Hainsworth founded Serene Communications, a firm that provides training for civil organizations and corporations. [2] She has held leadership positions in several women's rights organizations.
In 2004, she became chairperson of the National Alliance of Women's Organizations (NAWO). [1] [3] [2] Hainsworth served as president of Widows Rights International (WRI) [4] [5] [6] and co-founded Advance, a social enterprise focused on justice, entrepreneurship, and education for women and girls. [7] [8]
A member of the Baha'i community in the United Kingdom, [7] Hainsworth represented the Baha'i International Community as a delegate to the United Nations 54th Commission on the Status of Women. [7] [9] [10] [11] She has worked as a gender expert for the British Council, a member of UN Women UK, and chaired UNIFEM UK from 2005 to 2010. [12] She also chaired the Stroud Business Women's Network (SBWN) and served as an ambassador for the Women's Entrepreneurs Group. [13] [2] [14] [15]
In 2010, Hainsworth founded Naserian, a Tanzanian NGO providing legal awareness training and economic empowerment programs for Maasai widows. [16] That same year, she became a member of Ethical Business Building the Future (EBBF). [17] [18]
She has consulted for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2012 and founded Impact Travels, a travel firm, in 2019. [19] [20]
Hainsworth has also chaired the UK Civil Society Women's Alliance [21] [22] and led the UK NGO CSW Alliance, representing civil society organizations in discussions with the United Nations and the UK Government Equalities Office. [23] [24] [2]
Hainsworth has participated in United Nations discussions, advocating for women's inclusion in global policymaking. [25] She has spoken at events addressing gender-based violence, economic empowerment, and civil society's role in promoting gender equality. [26] [27]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she highlighted the crisis's impact on women, particularly regarding employment, unpaid caregiving, and domestic violence. [28] [27] Hainsworth has supported policies addressing gender-based violence, economic empowerment, and social protection measures. [28] [29] [30]
Hainsworth has participated in UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) sessions, working on gender-based violence, women's participation in decision-making, and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention. [28] [31] At the 2008 UN Commission on the Status of Women, Hainsworth discussed the phrase 'the girl child' and its role in advancing girls' rights. [32] [33] In 2013, she co-led an evaluation of the 'Building Women's Movements in Iraq' program for the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation. [34] [35] The evaluation examined violence, political participation, economic empowerment, and security sector reform in conflict-affected regions. [34] [36]
In 2016, Hainsworth co-signed an open letter to Boris Johnson, urging action for Amina Al-Jeffery, a British citizen detained in Saudi Arabia. [37] [38] She has also worked to strengthen legislation against human trafficking and advocated for victim protection. [39]
Hainsworth has contributed to human rights and sustainability discussions, including forums like the Zaragoza Expo 2008 on water and sustainability. [40] She has conducted training seminars on international gender equality mechanisms through organizations such as the Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP). [41]
In 2017, she appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour to discuss women's roles in Brexit negotiations. [42] [43] [44] [45]
Hainsworth was listed among 100 Women: The Unseen Powerful Women Who Change the World in 2010. [1] [46] She received recognition from Cambridge Who’s Who for her leadership in training services. [47] In 2012, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours for her contributions to women's rights and gender equality. [21] [15] [48]
Hainsworth is married to Soroush Fadaei. [2] The couple have four children: Iman, Iqan, Erfan, and Anisa. [2] [9]