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Draft:Anika Rahman

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  • Comment: You need to include sources that are entirely independent of Rahman (i.e. not interviews or articles that she wrote herself) in order to establish notability MCE89 (talk) 06:34, 3 August 2025 (UTC)
Anika Rahman
A photograph of Anika Rahman
Born
Bangladesh
NationalityAmerican
EducationPrinceton University
Columbia Law School
OccupationLawyer
Known forActivism, Human Rights, Social Justice, Writer

Anika Rahman is a Bangladeshi-born American lawyer and human rights and social justice leader.[1] Her work focuses on the reproductive rights of women and girls[2] as well as sustainable global development and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).[3][4] She is a co-founder of the Center for Reproductive Rights and was the CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.[5] Rahman is currently the Managing Director and CEO of the Bangladesh International Tutorial (BIT) School.[6]

Biography

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Rahman was born in Bangladesh and raised by her grandmother. She lived briefly in Pakistan as a refugee during the Bangladesh Liberation War.[7] Her parents divorced shortly after their marriage, and the stigma surrounding divorced women “governed [Rahman’s] life… [as] a child of that divorce.”[8] This experience inspired her commitment to women’s rights.[9] Rahman is also dedicated to "[serving] the cause of justice by advancing the concerns of marginalized communities."[10]

At the age of 18, Rahman came to the United States to study at the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.[7] She earned her JD from Columbia Law School.[11]

Rahman self-identifies as a Muslim who “come[s] from a secular family and live[s] a secular life.”[12] She has spoken out about islamophobia in the United States,[13][14] especially during the Trump administration.[15]

Career

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After graduating from Columbia Law School, Rahman joined the law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton.[12] She left the firm in 1993 to become one of the co-founders of the Center for Reproductive Rights,[8] where she worked to expand the organization’s global and U.S. foreign policy programs.[16]

Rahman served as the President of Friends of UNFPA from 2004 to 2010.[12] While there, she advocated for the restoration of U.S. government funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and contributed to efforts to raise public awareness of UNFPA.[1] She also assisted in drafting reproductive rights law in sub-Saharan Africa.[11] During this time, President Obama restored government funding to the UNFPA.[8]

In 2011, Rahman became the President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.[17] During her tenure, the Ms. Foundation launched a new advocacy and policy division, and created a fellowship for leaders in women’s and gender issues.[8] Rahman was the first woman of color to head the Ms. Foundation.[12] She was succeeded as President and CEO by Teresa C. Younger in 2014.[18]

Rahman was the Vice President of Development at the Rainforest Alliance from 2015 to 2016.[5] She was drawn to environmental work because of its connection to human rights and the oppression of women.[4] In 2018, Rahman joined the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and served as the Chief Board Relations Officer.[19]

In 2023, Rahman was appointed as the CEO of the National Diversity Council, which was an organization specializing in DEIB programs.[20]

In 2024, Rahman became the Managing Director and CEO of the Bangladesh International Tutorial (BIT) School.[6] Currently, Rahman is a Board Member at MADRE, a feminist international human rights organization.[21] She is also a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[22]

Awards and Recognition

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Selected Works

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Rahman’s writing has been published by the New York Times,[25] the Chronicle of Philanthropy,[26] Politico,[27] Rewire,[1] the Huffington Post,[28] CNN,[29] and the Dhaka Tribune.[30] Her articles focus on women and girls’ rights, reproductive rights, human rights, education, climate, leadership strategies and DEI.[28]

  • Rahman, A., & Toubia, N. (2000). Female Genital Mutilation: A Guide to Laws and Policies Worldwide. Zed Books.
  • Rahman, A., & Pine, R. (1995). An international human right to reproductive health care: Towards definition and responsibility. Journal of Health and Human Rights, 1, 401. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10393795/
  • Rahman, A. (1995). Toward government accountability for women’s reproductive rights. St. John’s Law Review, 69 (1), 203. https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/lawreview/vol69/iss1/10/
  • Raghuram, S., & Rahman, A. (1996). Charting the reproductive rights agenda. In Rethinking population. Proceedings of a consultation on Women’s Health and Rights: Rethinking Population, jointly organised by Hivos Regional Office, South Asia, Bangalore, Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, New York, June 15-17, 1995, edited by Shobha Raghuram, Anika Rahman.
  • Rahman, A. (Ed.). (1997–2002). Women of the world: The laws and policies affecting their reproductive lives (covering Anglophone Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Francophone Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean). The Center for Reproductive Rights.
  • Rahman, A., Katzive, L., & Henshaw, S. K. (1998). A Global Review of Laws on Induced Abortion, 1985-1997. International Family Planning Perspectives, 24(2), 56–64. https://doi.org/10.2307/2991926
  • Rahman, A. (1990). Women’s rights versus religious rights in India: A test case for international human rights law. Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, 28, 473. https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/cjtl28&div=31&id=&page=

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Rahman, Anika. "Anika Rahman". Rewire News Group. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  2. ^ Rahman, Anika (1997–2002). Women of the World: The Laws and Policies Affecting their Reproductive Lives (covering Anglophone Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Francophone Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean). The Center for Reproductive Rights.
  3. ^ Rahman, Anika (30 Jan 2004). "Attacking, and Defending, D.E.I. in America, Op ed". New York Times. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b Isaac, Bronwyn (9 Mar 2017). "Anika Rahman Explains Why Ecofeminism Is Essential For Female Empowerment". Bustle.
  5. ^ a b c d "Anika Rahman Celebrated for Dedication to the Field of Law" (Press release). Marquis Who's Who. 31 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b Rahman, Anika (10 July 2025). "Education: The engine of change". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b Anika Rahman (17 June 2024). Anika Rahman: A Leader's Personal Journey (Video). Anika Rahman. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d Cox, Caroline (20 May 2013). "Anika Rahman - President & CEO, Ms. Foundation for Women: Justice for All". Little Pink Book. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  9. ^ Goodreau, Jenna (30 June 2011). "Ms. Foundation CEO Warns of Looming 'Womancession'". Forbes. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  10. ^ "About – Anika Rahman". Anika Rahman -- Leading Transformation for Social Impact. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Human Rights Advocate Anika Rahman '90 Honored by Columbia Law Women's Association". Columbia Law School. 31 Mar 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d Robb, Amanda (17 Nov 2017). "Making Change". Ms. Magazine. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  13. ^ Rahman, Anika (27 July 2012). "My Muslim Identity". HuffPost. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  14. ^ Rahman, Anika. "A Muslim-American mother's fears and hopes". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  15. ^ Rahman, Anika (1 February 2017). "A MUSLIM-AMERICAN FEMINIST BESIEGED". Medium. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  16. ^ Rahman, Anika (13 Mar 2007). "Anika Rahman, women's- and reproductive- rights advocate, answers questions". Grist (Interview). Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  17. ^ Agovino, Theresa (7 April 2013). "Reviving a trailblazer". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  18. ^ Agovino, Theresa (1 May 2014). "Ms. Foundation for Women names new leader". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Anika Rahman, Chief Board Relations Officer". NRDC. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  20. ^ "National Diversity Council Announces New CEO". 3BL. National Diversity Council. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  21. ^ "MADRE Team & Board". MADRE. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  22. ^ "Membership Roster". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Sabany Awards". SABANY.
  24. ^ "2004 Lawrence A. Wien Prize for Social Responsibility". Columbia Law School. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  25. ^ Rahman, Anika (17 Mar 2008). "Safe Childbirth, for All, Op ed". New York Times. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  26. ^ Rahman, Anika (14 July 2022). "In a Post-'Roe' World, Nonprofits Need to Rethink How They Support Staff — and the Larger Abortion Movement". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  27. ^ Rahman, Anika (8 May 2011). "Help working women on Mother's Day". POLITICO. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  28. ^ a b "Anika Rahman". HuffPost. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  29. ^ Rahman, Anika (15 October 2012). "Why the abortion and faith question is relevant". CNN. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  30. ^ Rahman, Anika (1 July 2017). "A symptom of profound inequality". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
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