Kishwar Naheed

Kishwar Naheed is one of Pakistan’s most renowned feminist poets. Her first collection of poems, ‘Lab-i-Goya’ (1968), earned her the prestigious Adamjee Prize for Literature. She is the founder of Hawwa (Eve), an organization dedicated to empowering women economically. Kishwar Naheed has also held the position of Director General of the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA).
In recognition of her contributions, she has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2000. Her poetry has been translated into several languages, including English, French, and Italian. Oxford University Press has not only published her original works in Urdu (‘Intikhab-e-Kalam: Kishwar Naheed’ and ‘Pakistan ki Tehzeeb-o-Saqafat’) but also English translations of her works (‘The Distance of a Shout’ [poetry], ‘A Bad Woman’s Story’ [memoirs], and ‘The Culture and Civilization of Pakistan’).
In 2022, the Government of Pakistan honoured her with the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the second-highest civilian award, in recognition of her exceptional contributions to literature.