She is a fierce champion of gender equality and human rights. Her appointment demonstrates our commitment to embracing new and diverse perspectives and expertise as we strive to achieve a gender-equal world.
New York, 11 April 2022 | Women Deliver is pleased to announce Dr. Maliha Khan as our next President and CEO — after a robust and inclusive recruitment process in 2021. She will take the helm as Women Deliver continues to build on its legacy of championing gender equality and the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of girls and women, in all their intersecting identities.
When we began the process of meaningful and participatory engagement to find new leaders to join us, our hope was to find a CEO who inspires us and is driven by the goal of a gender-equal world. We searched for a leader that challenges the status quo, shares our strong commitment to diversity, and is committed to advancing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and women, in all their intersecting identities. Most importantly, we set our sights on a leader who understands where we would like to go next as an organization.
Today, we are pleased to share that we have selected Dr. Maliha Khan, who we believe is a strong example of our values, committed to our ongoing transformation, and a true supporter of our mission to achieve a gender-equal world.
Dr. Khan, a fierce champion of gender equality, joins Women Deliver after a distinguished career in advancing girls’ and women’s empowerment. We invite you to read her full biography here.
As President and CEO, Dr. Khan will build upon Women Deliver’s fundamental focus on girls’ and women’s health and rights through its flagship initiatives, including the Women Deliver 2023 Conference (WD2023), the Young Leaders Program, and the Deliver for Good Campaign – driven by country coalitions based in Kenya and Senegal. Among her many duties, Dr. Khan will also make it a priority to lead the continued transformation of Women Deliver.
Dr. Khan’s appointment comes with great enthusiasm and praise from current and former leaders of the organization, Young Leaders, staff, and key partners:
“Dr. Maliha Khan’s invaluable achievements and lifelong commitment to gender equality perfectly align with Women Deliver’s core mission. I look forward to working with her to realize our shared mission to make a more gender-equal future a reality for all,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the new Women Deliver Board Chair.
“After a thorough, long, and critical recruitment process, I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Maliha Khan as President and CEO of Women Deliver. She brings over 25 years of experience in girls’ and women’s empowerment. We’re delighted and honored to have Maliha’s leadership in our work to safeguard and advance progress toward gender equality and girls’ and women’s health and rights around the world,” said Kristin Hetle, former Board Chair.
“Dr. Maliha Khan brings new and valuable perspectives to Women Deliver which will help it to continue its journey of transformation and be an even more effective advocate for gender equality,” added Helen Clark, Women Deliver Board Member and Former Prime Minister of New Zealand.
“Meaningful youth engagement is critical within the organizations at the forefront of advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality. Dr. Maliha Khan’s remarkable experience in education and humanitarian spaces for girls will bring great expertise to not only the Young Leaders Program, but also to how Women Deliver works with and for young people at large. As a Young Leader, I am excited to work with her and to learn from her,” said Damilola Babatunde, a Women Deliver Young Leader from the Class of 2020.
“We warmly welcome Dr. Maliha Khan as the new President and CEO of Women Deliver. Her lived and professional experiences and values truly exemplify what we, as staff, were hoping for in someone to lead Women Deliver through its next phase. We stand committed as ever to continue our impact-driven advocacy for the health and rights of girls and women, in all their intersecting identities, with Maliha at the helm,” said Divya Mathew, Director, Policy and Advocacy, on behalf of staff at Women Deliver.
“During this pivotal and exciting time for the organization, we know Dr. Maliha Khan will bring a wealth of experience, insight, and passion to Women Deliver. I am looking forward to passing the baton to Maliha. Women Deliver is in great hands,” said Kathleen Sherwin, outgoing Interim President and CEO.
Of her appointment, Dr. Maliha Khan said:
“I am thrilled to join Women Deliver as President and CEO. I am an ardent feminist and have been working to advance the rights of girls and women, and to implement gender transformative initiatives, throughout my career. I am looking forward to continuing Women Deliver’s important role as a champion of gender equality advocates to realize the rights of all girls and women, not least their sexual and reproductive health and rights. This space is more important than ever to bridge the distance and disconnect that the world has faced over the last two years.”
“I am looking forward to supporting Women Deliver in continuing to implement their Transformation, deliver on the pillars of their 2021-2025 Strategic Framework, develop the next Women Deliver Conference in 2023, and to drive investment — political, programmatic, and financial — in the lives of all girls and women worldwide.”
Dr. Maliha Khan (she/her)
President and CEO
Maliha Khan is a fierce champion of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. She has focused her distinguished career on empowering girls and women.
Maliha Khan is a fierce champion of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. She has focused her distinguished career on empowering girls and women.
She most recently served as the Chief Programmes Officer of Malala Fund, and is currently a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center. Maliha also serves on Care International UK’s Board of Trustees. She has years of expertise in program design and performance, learning, accountability, designing rights-based programs for girls and women, teaching gender studies, and implementing women’s programs in marginalized regions of Pakistan. Maliha has worked extensively on frameworks for gender empowerment, attitude and perception change, and resilience. She has also led program quality, impact measurement, and knowledge management functions at CARE USA and Oxfam America.
Maliha is from Pakistan, where she started her career implementing development projects. She has a PhD from the State University of New York and an MA from Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad in Social Anthropology.
