Name: Atiya Abbas

Position: Communication and Membership Officer of FIA Pakistan

Atiya Abbas is a social activist and communications specialist. She has worked with Girls at Dhabas, a collective that raised awareness about gender and public space. Since her return from her Masters in the USA, she has been involved with this collective, arranging events across Karachi and Lahore, protesting harassment on the streets, and setting up small tea stalls to engage with the public. In 2016, Girls at Dhabas was featured on BBC World; went onto set up a Behenchara (female solidarity) Corner at the Women of the World Festival; organized a bike rally to protest street harassment; and conducted multiple workshops and presentations on gender and public space. A movement that started online, Girls at Dhabas continues to be part of the cultural zeitgeist, earning a feature in Fearless: Stories Of Amazing Pakistani Women. In 2018, she became one of the major organisers of the Aurat March, running its social media for three consecutive years, therefore contributing to rights-based discourse online.With 11k followers on Twitter, Atiya aims to raise awareness on social issues of gender justice, climate action and inclusive cities.