ISLAMABAD: In a landmark development, Nayyab Ali, a prominent human rights defender and policy expert, has been shortlisted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the position of Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders — the first transgender woman in UN history to reach this stage.

Speaking to journalists, Nayyab Ali said the recognition reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to equality and inclusion. “If appointed, I aim to strengthen protections for human rights defenders, especially from gender-diverse communities, who face violence and exclusion worldwide,” she said.

Nayyab currently heads Transgender Rights Consultants Pakistan and is a Global Human Rights Fellow at Harvard University’s Carr Center. She played a key role in drafting Pakistan’s landmark Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, and has received seven international awards, including the Franco-German Human Rights Prize in 2020.

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The next stage of selection will be led by the Special Consultative Group — comprising representatives from Malawi, South Korea, North Macedonia, Guatemala and Türkiye — which will recommend a candidate to the UNHRC president for final appointment during the Council’s 61st session.

Her shortlisting is being hailed as a historic achievement for Pakistan and a milestone for transgender visibility and inclusion in global governance.