Native name রহিমা বেগম Name Rahima Begum Years active 2007–present | Ethnicity Bengali Residence London, United Kingdom Nationality British Role Human rights activists | |
Born 22 May 1984 (age 39) ( 1984-05-22 ) London, England Education MA Postcolonial History, Literature and Theory Occupation Human rights activist, humanitarian aid worker | ||
Organizations founded Restless Beings Alma mater University College London | ||
Rahima Begum (Bengali: রহিমা বেগম; born 22 May 1984) is an English human rights activist, and co-founder and co-director of Restless Beings.
Contents
Early life
Begum attended Plashet School until she left in 2000 and then attended Seven Kings High School. She graduated with a MA in Postcolonial History, Literature and Theory from the University College London.
Career
Begum has worked as a school teacher, illustrator and freelance artist. In October 2007, she co-founded Restless Beings with researcher Mabrur Uddin Ahmed (born 1983). Restless Beings is an international grassroots human rights charity that aims to support marginalised communities that are deprived of media or public attention.
Begum has worked across the community from co-hosting and speaking at women's rights events, championing arts and networking across the British Bangladeshi community, alongside work with local and national media. She is a panel expert, and has lectured on human rights both domestically and internationally. Her work leading Restless Beings support for the persecuted Rohingya community in Burma as well as women's rights in Kyrgyzstan received particular praise and attention of the international media and world opinion.
In May 2014, Begum was interviewed by Nadia Ali on BBC Asian Network about the Rohingya migrant crisis.
Personal life
On 27 August 2013, Begum married Restless Beings co-founder Mabrur Ahmed.