Saima Wazed among innovative women leaders
Saima Wazed Hossain has been listed as one of the “Innovative Women Leaders in Global Mental Health” by Columbia University’s Global Mental Health Program’s publication blog “Five on Friday.”
She ranked 40 out of 100 women leaders listed in the blog, who are individually and collectively improving the understanding, prevention and treatment of mental illness.
The list was published on Global Mental Health Program’s website on September 20.
Saima is currently the chairperson of Bangladesh National Advisory Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders as well as a member of World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health.
Recently, she was chosen as WHO’s goodwill ambassador for autism in the Southeast Asia region for her innovative work as a spokesperson for individuals with autism in Bangladesh.
Saima, also the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is the chairperson of Shuchona Foundation, a not-for-profit advocacy, research and capacity-building organisation, based in Dhaka. She is also one of the trustees of Centre for Research and Information. She is also a Specialist in School Psychology, nationally certified in the US.
A graduate of Barry University in Florida, Saima is an expert on neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health, and an accomplished speaker. Her efforts have led to international awareness, policy and programme changes, and the adoption of three international resolutions at the UN and WHO. She is credited with bringing mental health issues to the mainstream and breaking social barriers to acceptance of persons with disabilities.
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