Fatima Jinnah Biography
Message from the Vice Chancellor,FJWU
Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza
FJWU is commencing a dedicated webpage on Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah on her 127th birth anniversary. I thank all the members who are directly or indirectly involved in this initiative. It is our institution’s great honor and a humble effort to give tribute to the life, struggle, and strong will of an extraordinary woman, who truly can be envisioned as the shining beacon of women empowerment in Pakistan. We remember her for the ideals she stood for and let them guide us as we continue forward as members of this esteemed university named after her.
From being at the forefront of the Pakistan Movement, a political leader and stateswoman who stood strong in the face of threats to democracy and a dedicated social worker who fought for the betterment of her people, Fatima Jinnah remains just as relevant of a role model for Pakistani women today as she was in her own time.
We have reduced her to the sister of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his moral support, but Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah has her own legacy. She was a woman of her own mind, holding strong ideals and principles, full of grace, wit and dignity. Her role in shaping the history of Pakistan cannot be understated.
In a time where women being prominent in public spheres was rare, Fatima Jinnah pursued higher studies and a career. Running her own dental clinic in Bombay, she was independent and self-sufficient; the face for women empowerment in her time.
She was not merely a source of support for the Quaid during the days of the Pakistan Movement but a political force in her own right. She attended rally after rally, instrumental in drawing the support of Muslim women both before and after independence was achieved. She sought to include women in the political field and set the precedent for their involvement and inclusion.
As the founder of the Women’s Relief Committee in 1947, Fatima Jinnah worked tirelessly for the settlement of refugees in the newly created state. She is included amongst those who formed the All Pakistan Women’s Association. Without a doubt Fatima Jinnah was at the frontlines in the struggle for the creation of Pakistan.
She was a prominent social activist considered the first one working for women empowerment. Fatima Jinnah fought for women to be treated and seen as equal and capable citizens, in charge of shaping not only their future but that of the country as well.
Using her position of power and status, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah advanced the cause of the education of women as well as advocating for the development of their skillsets. She established the Khatoon-e-Pakistan Industrial and Technical Home for Women in Karachi, which equipped women with various skills to financially provide for themselves and their families, as well as the Khatoon-e-Pakistan Education and Welfare Board and a Girls School.
Fatima Jinnah’s thinking defines the values we wish to embody at FJWU. Her emphasis on the importance of women pursuing higher education and employment highlight not only her role as visionary, but the ideals that we stand for. Like her, I wish for our students to never shy away from a challenge, to work diligently for the causes dear to their hearts and be trailblazers and leaders for the future. An everlasting inspiration for the people of Pakistan, the legacy of Fatima Jinnah will live on forever through the students of Fatima Jinnah Women University.
Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza
PhD,MPH,(Pride of Performance, T.I)
Vice Chancellor, FJWU