CEO RSPN, Ms Shandana Khan, is one of Newsweek's "100 Women Who Shake Pakistan"

18 March 2011 - Newsweek has selected CEO RSPN Ms Shandana Khan as one of its "100 Women Who Shake Pakistan", for her work with grassroots communities in rural Pakistan. Comprising of the "100 women who matter most" in Pakistan, the list was sifted by Newsweek from a pool of 350 "very remarkable women" in the country, including bankers, businesswomen, activists, artists and sport stars.

Click here to directly go to the Newsweek feature.

Ms Shandana Khan has over fifteen years of extensive grassroots and policy level experience in rural development, mainly in the Rural Support Programmes (RSPs). Her work at the RSPN has involved undertaking policy advocacy with donors as well as with the highest levels of government and associated institutions (e.g. the National Reconstruction Bureau and the Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment). She has contributed strategic insights and inputs into the Pakistan Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, the Local Government Ordinance 2001, gender mainstreaming policies, and inclusion of social mobilisation in government programmes at all levels. She has been an advocate for meaningful, result-oriented partnerships between the poor communities and the government and private sector.

Ms Shandana Khan has a Masters degree in the Social and Political Sciences from Pembroke College, University of Cambridge as well as a Masters in International Public Policy from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University.

The Newsweek feature will be appear in the 21 March 2011 edition of Newsweek Pakistan, the country's largest circulation newsmagazine and premier news source.