Governance

SPO Board of Directors

1. Ms. Mahnaz Fareed Sheikh, Chairperson

Mahnaz Fareed Sheikh, a dedicated child and human rights activist, has been a prominent figure in Pakistan’s welfare sector for over two decades. Her unwavering commitment to advocating for human rights, women’s rights, and, most notably, children’s rights has left an indelible mark on society.

Mahnaz has provided over two decades of honorary services to multiple human rights-focused organisations, channeling her extensive experience to make a substantial impact in the Southern Belt of Punjab. In this region, she initiated the establishment of the SOS Children’s Village Multan, which provides a loving home for 200 orphans and destitute children, offering them a chance for a better future. Her dedication extends further as she proudly serves as the founding member of the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Higher Secondary School, which now educates over 1400 financially disadvantaged children. The commitment to expanding educational opportunities is exemplified by her creation of the SOS Multan Institute of Technology, which empowers over 1,000 young individuals by providing them with skills and employability. Her vision extends beyond education and includes women’s empowerment projects. She has facilitated skill training and employment opportunities for women through a welfare stitching unit, thus empowering them economically.

In recognition of her invaluable contributions, she also serves as the Chairperson of Strengthening Participatory Organization, where she supports community organisations and public interest institutions across Pakistan, aiming to uplift underprivileged sections of society and promote sustainable development. She also holds the positions of Honorary Member of the Board of Governors and Executive Vice President for SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan, where her leadership continues to make a difference. Furthermore, she serves in the healthcare sector as a former member of the Syndicate of Nishtar University Hospital Multan, an active member of the Board of Directors at Chaudry Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology Multan, and as a Trustee of Mian Muhammad Trust Hospital Faisalabad. In these roles, she ensures the welfare of the public through her dedication to public services and policies.

Favad Soomro had a distinguished 25-year tenure with the Engro Group, where he served as Head of the Engro Foundation. Favad joined Engro Fertilizers in 1999 as a Distribution Officer within the Marketing Department. Over the years, he held various roles in both the Marketing and Public Affairs departments at Engro Fertilizers, before transitioning to Engro Polymer and Chemicals as Market Development Advisor. At the Engro Foundation, he was responsible for overseeing the CSR initiatives across all Engro subsidiaries. Favad holds an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi. In January 2025, Favad Soomro was appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Dawood Foundation.

Favad Soomro has extensive experience in water irrigation, agricultural programs and environmental conservation programs. He has managed large teams and implemented multi-million dollar development programs with various donor agencies. He has done his MBA from the Institution of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi.

Favad serves on various advisory committees within the broader civil society, including as a founding member of the “Society for I am Karachi” and as Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors at Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO). He was also the General Secretary of the Sahara Welfare Society in the past.

Ms. Sadiqa Salahuddin is recognised as one of the leading development professionals in Pakistan and a prominent contributor to the enhancement of civil society. Her early experience as a management trainer for senior government officials became the foundation for capacity-building initiatives across the civil society spectrum. Her insight of government systems, combined with hands-on experience of capacity- building at the grassroots level, increased the effectiveness of NGO government collaboration.

Ms. Salahuddin has represented Pakistan’s civil society in several international forums and has participated in numerous national and international conferences. She serves on the governing boards of several important government and civil society initiatives, and on a number of task forces, working groups and Steering Committees particularly on women’s empowerment, poverty reduction, and education.

Ms. Salahuddin is the Founder and Executive Director of the Indus Resource Centre (IRC), an NGO that is recognised as an important stakeholder of education in Sindh, particularly for its contribution in the promotion of girls’ education in rural Sindh.She is is one of the founding Members of the Board of Directors and for two three- year terms served as the Chairperson of SPO.

Ms. Salahuddin has remained a Member of the Board of Directors of CIVICUS for two terms, Micro-finance Bank (Khushhali Bank), LEAD Pakistan, Aga Khan rural Support Programme, and Teachers Resource Centre; Member Board of Governors of Sindh Teachers’ Development Authority (STEDA); and Member General Body of Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund.”

Dr. Tufail Muhammad Khan is a paediatrician by profession. He is a teacher, knowledge developer, and a passionate voice for children  at home and internationally. He is the characterisation of someone who has a lifetime career devoted to child rights and has more than 30 years’ experience in the field of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) and Child protection. Currently, he is President ISPCAN and Chairperson of the Child Rights & Protection Committee, Pakistan Paediatric Association. He is serving on the Executive Committee of the College of Family Medicine Peshawar, the TB Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Diabetes Association KP, and Fatimid Foundation Pakistan.

Dr. Tufail has more than 30 research papers to his credit and has presented more than 80 papers at international conferences in several countries around the world. He has also conducted and published a number of community-based research studies on issues around child rights and CAN in collaboration with UNICEF, Save the Children, WHO, ILO and ECPAT International. He has contributed several book chapters and also authored a book on the growth and development of Pakistani children. He served on the Board of ECPAT International for 6 years.

In recognition of his leadership in the field of child protection, Dr. Tufail has twice received the Meritorious Services Award from the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan. He is the President of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) since 2018 and has served it in different positions in the past. He is also the Board Member of the “Global Partnership to end violence against children”.

Mr. Mohammad Rafiq is an environmental expert and studied agriculture with post graduate qualifications in forestry. He specializes in strategic planning, organizational change and development, community forestry, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, sustainability assurance and certification systems, and environmental impact assessment.

Mr. Rafiq has worked in the Government of Pakistan, International Union for Conservation of Nature (Switzerland), Rainforest Alliance (USA), Zeitz Foundation (Germany and Kenya). He has also been consulting internationally for various other organizations including the UN agencies.

Mr. Rafiq’s interests include creating new conservation organizations and building existing ones to enhance institutional capacity for environment around the world. Mr. Rafiq founded two environmental consulting companies located in the UK and Pakistan.

Mr. Rafiq has voluntarily served as Director, Advisor and member of various sustainable development organizations across the world. He has also authored or co authored numerous reports, strategies and publications on the issues of sustainable development, environmental governance, and business and biodiversity.

Dr. Farhat Sheikh is currently working as the Gender Advisor at the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad.

Dr. Farhat is a development professional with about 30 years of experience in actively contributing to gender mainstreaming, women’s empowerment, and humanitarian response across various sector platforms.

Dr Farhat has been associated with the High Commission of Canada, UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP, Oxfam, The Asia Foundation, ActionAid, NDMA, and ERRA in senior-level positions. She has also contributed as the Chairperson of the Board of Governors and one of the founding Members of a local NGO working for inter-faith harmony, gender equality and education in Pakistan, Cavish Development Foundation.

Dr. Farhat Sheikh has authored several research papers, including a report on the “Socio- Economic Profile of Pakistan,” the “Zina Ordinance in Practice,” and “Madrassa Education in Pakistan,” among others.

Dr. Farhat has also served as a Member of the Gender Stakeholder Group (Asia) and Women’s Action Forum, and qualified CSS (Civil Service) Examination.

Dr. Anjum is the Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore. In a voluntary capacity, she is associated as the Member SPO Board of Directors.

Dr. Anjum Zia has 27 years of teaching experience including 22 years of administrative experience as Head of the Department. She also worked as a Research Officer at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and as Sub-Editor in Daily ‘The Nation’.

Dr. Zia is also serving as the Member, Board of Studies of various institutions including, Government College University Lahore and Beacon House University Lahore; Member, National Curriculum Revision Committee, of Mass Communication, Higher Education Commission; Member, Advisory Committee of Academia to assist the Press Council of Pakistan on the issues relating to the Media Ethics; Founder Member/Secretary Citizen Media Commission and Member Editorial Board and Reviewer of Research Journals.

In recognition of her contributions in the field of Education, Dr. Anjum has received Best University Teacher Award from the HEC, Frogh-e-Taleem Gold Medal Award from  dara Frogh-e-Taleem, Punjab, excellent Performance Gold Medal from Azeem Ara Foundation, and Journalism Fourth Estate Award from the Institute of Communication Studies, University of the Punjab Lahore.

Ms. Shabnam Nawaz has been practising as an advocate for 27 years in High Court and subordinate courts, and Federal Shariat Court.

Ms. Shabnam is currently serving with the Free Legal Aid Committee in the provincial council KPK and has been a Member Provincial bar council for the last eight years. Further, she is a visiting Lecturer at the Justice Law College Abbottabad, teaching Constitutional, Criminal, Family and Laws related to gender.

Previously, Ms. Shabnam has served as a Member of the Cantonment Board Peshawar for ten years, finally as a Vice-President of the Cantonment Board Peshawar and the General Secretary Peshawar Bar Association.

Presently, Ms. Shabnam is a Member of the Board of Directors of Strengthening Participatory Organization – a not-for-profit company aimed at strengthening and supporting community organizations and public interest institutions of Pakistan for the benefit of underprivileged sections of society for sustainable development.