DIRECTOR
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN GENDER STUDIES
Dr. Aisha Anees Malik
Associate Professor (Tenure) / Director
Academic Qualifications
✓
PhD, Development Studies
University of Cambridge
✓
M.Phil.
University of Cambridge, UK
✓
MBA
Fatima Jinnah Women University
Academic & Research Profile
Dr. Aisha Anees Malik
Research • Teaching • Supervision • Academic Leadership • Professional Service
20+
Published Research Papers
4
Ph.D. Theses Supervised
21
M.Phil. Theses Supervised
15
External Academic Services
Research & Publications
Papers Published
Explore the research publications chronologically by year.
2026 — Latest Research
Wahab, A., Malik, A. A., & Talib, M. A. (2026).
Two decades of the Futures Triangle (2003–2024):
A critical review of theory, method and practice.
Journal of Futures Studies.
Advance online publication.
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2025 — Research Publication
Ahmed, L., Malik, A. A., & Abid, S. (2025).
Pathways to resilience: Indigenous community and climate change adaptation
in Pakistan.
Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences, 23(2), 1330–1339.
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2024 — Research Publications
Ahmed, L., Malik, A. A., & Abid, S. (2024).
Rural microfinance in Pakistan: Transition in women’s preferences and priorities.
Remittance Review, 9(S3).
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Osama, I., & Malik, A. A. (2024).
Gendered educational aspirations of Afghan immigrants in Pakistan.
Migration Letters, 21(S10), 1284–1297.
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2023 — Research Publications
Ahmed, L., & Malik, A. A. (2023).
In pursuit of happiness: The transformative role of rural financing for women
in Nara Mughlan Village of Chakwal District in Pakistan.
Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 38(2), 349–373.
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Khan, A., & Malik, A. A. (2023).
Women’s unpaid care work in urban Pakistan during COVID-19:
Awakening women’s agency?
Asian Women, 39(2), 93–114.
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Ul Haq, B., Abid, S., & Malik, A. A. (2023).
Understanding honour and elopement among the Pashtuns:
A study on legal pluralism.
Russian Law Journal, 11(1), 422–434.
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2022 — Research Publications
Haque, R., Aslam, R., & Malik, A. A. (2022).
Land ownership and inheritance rights of women in rural Pakistan.
Webology, 19(3), 3002–3015.
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Malik, A. A. (2022).
Gendering the diaspora: Experiences of British-Pakistani Muslim women.
Journal of International Women’s Studies, 24(5), 19.
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Zahoor, T., & Malik, A. A. (2022).
Rethinking the concept of economic empowerment of women from
a South-Asian perspective.
Indian Journal of Economics and Business, 21(1), 781–791.
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Ahmed, L., & Malik, A. A. (2022).
Microfinance and women’s empowerment: Exploring gender-power dynamics
in the lives of women borrowers from rural Chakwal.
Research Journal of Social Sciences and Economics Review,
3(3), 29–35.
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2021 — Research Publications
Abid, S., Bibi, S., & Malik, A. A. (2021).
Gender and entrepreneurship: Women’s choice for self-employment.
International Review of Social Sciences, 9(3), 375–386.
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Abid, S., Liaquat, N., & Malik, A. A. (2021).
On being and becoming beautiful: The social construction
of feminine beauty.
Pakistan Social Sciences Review, 5(2), 403–413.
ResearchGate Record →
ResearchGate Record →
Batool, M., & Malik, A. A. (2021).
Bringing the focus back: Aurat March and the regeneration
of feminism in Pakistan.
Journal of International Women’s Studies, 22(9), 316–330.
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Malik, A. A., Saba, T., & Abid, S. (2021).
Abandoned and destitute: A case study of divorced women residing
in a welfare complex in Pakistan.
Pakistan Social Sciences Review, 5(2), 352–363.
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Malik, A. A., Zafar, H., & Abid, S. (2021).
Purdah, mobility and educational opportunities for women.
International Review of Social Sciences, 9(3), 362–374.
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Shah, M. A., & Malik, A. A. (2021).
Contestations and transformations: The shared religious space
of Jhule Lal in Sindh, Pakistan.
Biannual Research Journal Grassroots, 55(1), 199–217.
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2019 — Research Publications
Malik, A. A. (2019).
Recreating material culture in diaspora:
Private and social worlds of British-Pakistani Muslim women.
Journal of Asian Civilizations, 42(2), 145–158.
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Malik, A. A., & Haider, S. (2019).
Role of social networking sites in fostering active citizenship
in Pakistan: A study of Facebook users in Pakistan.
Margalla Papers, 23(2), 195–205.
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2018 — Research Publication
Malik, A. A. (2018).
Women’s economic empowerment sans labour rights:
Inadvertent oversight or tacit omission.
Strategic Studies, 38(2), 85–99.
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2017 — Research Publications
Malik, A. A. (2017).
Gender and nationalism: The political awakening of Muslim women
of the Subcontinent.
Strategic Studies, 37(2), 1–16.
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Malik, A. A. (2017).
Hurdles in women development in Pakistan.
Margalla Papers, 21, 61–72.
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Malik, A. A. (2017).
Muslim women’s support for fundamentalism:
Comparing Iran and Pakistan.
Regional Studies, 35(2), 73–89.
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Research Supervision
Ph.D. Theses Supervised
Doctoral research supervised by Dr. Aisha Anees Malik.
4 Ph.D. Research Theses
01
Muhbat Ali Shah
Shared Religious Spaces in Sindh:
A Case Study of Udero Lal.
2022
02
Luqman Ahmed
Gender, Microfinance and Empowerment:
A Case Study of Rural Borrowers from Rural Chakwal
2024
03
Tabassum Rahmani
Ghar aur Bahr: Changing notions of home and beyond
in the lives of women in post-earthquake Balakot.
2025
04
Sajjad Haider
Gender Inclusive Active Citizenship in Pakistan:
Role of Facebook.
2025
21 M.Phil. Theses Supervised
01
Babar Bashir
Woman Question, Decoloniality and Policing in Pakistan:
A case study of Islamabad
2025
02
Umme Habiba
Interrogating Political Masculinities and the Women Question
in Ethno-Nationalist Struggles: A case study of Sooba Hazara Movement
2025
03
Hafiza Bismillah Sohail
Exploring Women’s Legal Agency in the Light of the Constitution
of Pakistan and Shariah Law: A focused study on Bushra Bibi’s iddat case
2025
04
Aasia Komal Abro
Unpacking the Gendered Burden of Familial Loyalty:
A feminist analysis of endogamous marriages in Larkana, Sindh
2025
05
Iqra Osama
Gendered Analysis of Afghan Refugees’ Educational Aspirations:
The case study of the House of Knowledge in Islamabad
2024
06
Naila Batool
Decoding Digital Gender Struggles:
An in-depth analysis of Sexism in modern online classes
2024
07
Sharmeen Kausar
Women Entrepreneurs and the Future of Work in Pakistan’s Digital Economy
2024
08
Zainab Hussain
Conceptualizing Work in Rural Punjab:
A comparative analysis of Mussali and Jutt women in Chak 86 S.B., Sargodha
2024
09
Sara Tariq
The Promise of Prosperity?
Women’s perceptions of the Sino-Pak corridor M-5 route.
2024
10
Aimal Khan
Socio Economic Empowerment of Women Through Balochistan Rural Support
Program (BRSP): A Case Study of District Loralai.
2024
11
Amjid Khan
Understanding Tribal Masculinities:
A Case Study of Young Adult Males from District Mohmand
2023
12
Azmat Baig
The Impact of Climate change on Women:
A Case Study of District Ghizer, Gilgit Baltistan
2023
13
Luqman Khan
Exploring State Feminism in Pakistan:
A Case Study of the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW)
2023
14
Salahudin
Home Based Women Workers in the Bangle Industry:
A Case Study of District Hyderabad.
2023
15
Amar Manzoor
Role of Women in Informal Economic Sector:
A Case Study of Bagri Community of District Khairpur
2023
16
Sangeen Bacha
Students’ Engagement with the Discipline of Gender Studies:
A Case Study of Government Post Graduate College (GPGC), Haripur.
2023
17
Anam Khan
Implications of COVID 19 on Women’s Unpaid Care Work
2022
18
Bibi Raheel
Economic Hardships of Single Mothers during the Pandemic COVID-19:
a case Study of Subdivision Gojal, District Hunza
2022
19
Fareha Malik
How far is Enough? A Phenomenological study on the influence
of beauty standards on adolescent women.
2022
20
Sahibzadi Hina Zaib
Living Patriarchy: Married Women’s Experiences of Decision Making
with in Households.
2022
21
Sehrish Hafeez
Unpacking Stereo types: Gendered Experiences of Child Beggers
in Rawalpindi – Islamabad
2022
Academic Leadership
Administrative Services at QAU
Leadership and administrative responsibilities at the Centre of Excellence in Gender Studies and Quaid-i-Azam University.
Centre of Excellence in Gender Studies
| S.No. | Administrative Responsibility |
|---|---|
| 1 | Director |
| 2 | Incharge |
| 3 | Member, Board of Governors |
| 4 | Chair, Board of Studies |
| 5 | Member, Investment Committee |
| 6 | Member, Finance Committee |
| 7 | Member, Code of Conduct Committee |
| 8 | Member, Admission Committee |
| 9 | Chair, Scrutiny Committee BPS 1-16 |
| 10 | Chair, Hiring and Advance Committee |
| 11 | Chair, Library Advisory Committee |
| 12 | Member, Internal Review Committee |
Quaid-i-Azam University
| S.No. | Position / Responsibility | Month & Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Member, Board of Faculty, QAU | 23-02-2022 |
| 2 | Member, Academic Council, QAU | 23-02-2022 |
| 3 | Deputy Provost, Female Hostel, QAU | 28-08-2025 |
| 4 | Focal Person, Harassment Hearing Committee, QAU | 01-02-2024 |
| 5 | Member, Harassment Committee, QAU | 09-10-2023 |
| 6 | Special Committee to Address Critical Issues Impacting University Operations | 04-02-2025 |
Professional Service
Committees Outside QAU
National and international academic, advisory, review and professional responsibilities.
National & Professional Committees
✓
Member National Curriculum Review Committee, Higher Education Commission,
for the three Women Studies Programs being launched at Seerat Centre Lahore:
- MS in Women, Leadership and Seerah Studies
- MS in Women, Entrepreneurship and Seerah Studies
- MS in Women, Development and Seerah Studies
✓
Member Technical Advisory Group, National Strategy for Male Involvement
in Addressing Gender Based Violence, Ministry of Human Rights,
Government of Pakistan.
✓
Member DTRC for NUMS, Department of Humanities and Sciences.
✓
Member, Board of Studies, Gender Studies Department,
University of Peshawar.
✓
Member, Scrutiny Committee, Department of Gender Studies,
Fatima Jinnah Women University, Islamabad.
✓
Member, Assessment Team, Department of Gender Studies,
Fatima Jinnah Women University, Islamabad.
✓
External Reviewer for HEC Research Grants – Management Sciences Panel.
✓
Member, Institutional Performance Evaluation Committee,
Higher Education Commission, Pakistan.
✓
Member Committee of Courses, MPhil and Bachelor’s programs being designed
at Women and Gender Studies Department, Allama Iqbal Open University,
Islamabad.
✓
On advisory board of the Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Gender (JISG)
by the Department of Gender and Women Studies, Allama Iqbal Open University.
✓
Reviewer for Global Networks: A Journal of Transnational Affairs
(International).
✓
Reviewer for Lahore Journal of Policy Studies (National).
External Examiner — Local & International
Local External Examiner
- Gender Studies Department; Area Studies Centre, University of Peshawar
- Gender Studies Department, Fatima Jinnah Women University
- Peace and Conflict Department, National Defence University
International External Examiner
London Metropolitan University
Manuscript Reviewer
✓
National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, QAU
✓
PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi