Juweriya Mohideen has advocated and fought for the political, economic, social and cultural rights of Muslim women, among others. She was one of the few who first stepped out, camped and mobilised with internally-displaced persons (IDP) women when their community was displaced. She organised protest actions where women dumped the inedible rice in front of the government-regulated ration distribution center when she noticed that the food rations for displaced communities were expired and rotten.

Juweriya has worked in the field of uplifting the lives of rural women for many years. Her work through the years shows her passion for uplifting marginalised and neglected communities. She has spent most of her life in conflict-ridden parts of Sri Lanka and worked hard, addressing her community, mostly women's rights violations. She did this by not only working for non-profit organisations but also in her own capacity. She is a trainer, field officer, social mobiliser, leader of a women's organisation, among others. She also served as a bridge in building a strong relationship with Tamil women and women's organisations. This encouraged activities that promoted peace and reconciliation among the Tamil and her community. Her passion with regard rights of Muslim women in a career span of twenty (20) years enabled her provide capacity trainings regarding issues like law and women's rights. Through these trainings, women were empowered to question illegal decisions by the Quazi court that go against women, to enforce their rights under Muslim law and also encourage women to lobby for changes in the law.

Nominated by:  ASHOKA: Innovators for the Public
E-mail:  ashokasl@sltnet.lk
Phone No.:  0773649496