Nazia Khanum

Dr
Nazia Khanum
OBE, DL
Native name নাজিয়া খানুমের
Born 1943 (age 72–73)
Barisal, Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh), British India
Residence Luton, Bedfordshire, England
Nationality British
Ethnicity Bengali
Education BA and MA Political Science, PhD History
Alma mater University of Dhaka
School of Oriental and African Studies
Occupation Management consultant, researcher, academic, social activist
Years active 1983–present
Title Director of Equality in Diversity, non-executive director for NHS Luton
Religion Islam
Spouse(s) David Cheesman
Children 1

Nazia Khanum, OBE, DL (Bengali: নাজিয়া খানুমের; born 1943) is a Bangladeshi-born British management consultant, researcher, Director of Equality in Diversity, non-executive director for NHS Luton and chair of various voluntary community organisations.

Early life

Khanum was born in Barisal, Partition of Bengal (now Bangladesh), British India. Her exact date of birth is unknown because during that period birth certificates were not given unless they were specifically requested. She was named by her father who died when she was very young. She moved with her family to Charfassion, Dhaka where she was brought up.[1][2] In the early 1980s, she brought her family to Luton, Bedfordshire, England.[3]

Education and career

Khanum has an BA and MA in Political Science from the University of Dhaka, and a PhD in History from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.[4]

She worked over a long period as a lecturer and later as an assistant professor in Eden Girls' College and the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh.[5]

In 1996, Khanum set up an independent international equal opportunities/diversity management, research and training consultancy.[5][6] She is a non-executive director for NHS Luton.[7]

Since 1983, Khanum has been involved in community empowerment through her work with diverse communities. across the United Kingdom to promote their development and empowerment. She has extensive senior management experience with five English local authorities (Ealing, Tower Hamlets, Bedfordshire, GLC and ILEA).[8] She is on the boards of several key decision-making and copmmunity-empowerment organisations, including: non-executive director of Luton Primary Care Trust.[9] She chairs several community groups in Luton[10] She is on the boards of several key decision-making and community-empowerment organisations, including: non-executive director of Luton Primary Care Trust, member of the corporation [9] and governor of Luton Sixth Form College.[11] Chair of Luton All-Women's Centre, Luton Multi-Cultural Women's Coalition,[9] including Luton Bangladesh Helping Hand[12] and Purbachal – the Eastern Sky. She is a member of the Government's Muslim Women's Advisory Group and a government equality ambassador for the Eastern Region.[9]

Khanum was a government adviser.[13] on issues relating to ethnic minorities.[14] In March 2008, Khanum carried out a research study of Forced marriage, family cohesion and community engagement: national learning through a case study of Luton for the Home Office and Metropolitan Police Service[15] she discovered a growing problem that at least 3,000 young women are the victims of forced marriages in Britain each year.[16][17][18] To support her case, Khanum found that more than 300 forced marriages were reported in Luton each year.[6][19][20]

Awards and recognition

In 2006, Khanum was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2006 New Year Honours for her services to equal opportunities and community relations.[21] She holds an honorary doctorate from University of Bedfordshire.[22]

Personal life

Khanum is married to David Cheesman, a professor of society and development at Sheffield Hallam University. Their son, Tareen, has an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London.[4] In November 2002, Khanum and her husband performed their first Hajj (the largest Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia).[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Nazia Khanum". Luton Voices. 8 June 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Interviewees". Luton Culture. 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Leap of Faith". BBC News. February 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  4. 1 2 Karim, Mohammed Abdul; Karim, Shahadoth (October 2011). British Bangladeshi Who's Who (PDF). British Bangla Media Group. p. 75. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Community Cohesion". Equal But Different. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  6. 1 2 Cunniffe, Jessica (9 March 2008). "Breadth of forced marriages exposed". Luton: Luton & Dunstable. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "Women – Welcome to British Bangladeshi Power 100". British Bangladeshi Power 100. January 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Forced Marriage, Family Cohesion and Community Engagement" (PDF). Social Work 2000. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Our Directors". Equality in Diversity. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  10. ↑ Saner, Emine (14 March 2008). "The Invisibles". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  11. ↑ "Governors". Luton Sixth form College. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  12. ↑ "Star-studded fund-raising event by Luton Bangladesh Helping Hand". London: East London News. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  13. ↑ Suroor, Hasan (4 August 2012). "Killed For Trying To Be Normal". Daily Express. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  14. ↑ Suroor, Hasan (20 March 2008). "Focus on forced marriages among Asian communities in the U.K.". India: The Hindu. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  15. ↑ "Forced marriage problems revealed". BBC News. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  16. ↑ "Fears over forced marriage levels". BBC News. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  17. ↑ Revill, Jo (9 March 2008). "Forced marriage in UK 'a widespread problem'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  18. ↑ Slack, James (11 March 2008). "More than 3,000 Asian children vanishing from school and 'forced into arranged marriages'". Mail Online. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  19. ↑ "Mosques slam report on forced marriages". Luton: Luton on Sunday. 25 May 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  20. ↑ Taylor, Matthew (11 March 2008). "Victims of forced marriages could total 4,000, says study". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  21. ↑ "Bangladeshi awarded OBE" 5 (574). Bangladesh: The Daily Star. 6 January 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  22. ↑ "Seminar examines forced marriages". Bedfordshire: The University of Bedfordshire. 9 June 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2014.

External links

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