Senator Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister, has been named among the “100 Most Influential People of 2023” by the American news magazine, TIME. The list was unveiled a day earlier and includes individuals from six categories – artists, icons, pioneers, leaders, titans, and innovators – who have made a significant impact in their respective fields on a global scale.
Rehman’s profile for the magazine was written by Germany’s state secretary and special envoy for international climate action, Jennifer Morgan, who praised the senator for her efforts during the devastating floods that hit Pakistan in June last year. Morgan highlighted that the climate crisis is disproportionately affecting countries that are least responsible for it, with Pakistan being responsible for only a fraction of global emissions, yet suffering severe consequences such as more than a third of the country being flooded last year.
Morgan noted that Rehman arrived in Egypt for COP27, the UN climate summit, in November, where she spoke passionately and engaged tirelessly in negotiations to give a voice to those who had lost everything to the floods. Through her efforts, Rehman convinced many of the delegates that the blatant injustice of climate change must come to an end. COP27 ended with a historic decision to establish new loss and damage funding arrangements to support the most vulnerable countries, a significant step towards climate justice.
The American German activist highlighted that while this was a big step, more work needs to be done, and the world needs more people like Sherry Rehman to achieve it. Rehman’s profile for TIME concludes with the acknowledgment that the list also included influential people such as Janet Yellen, Joe Biden, and Bella Hadid.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Rehman has been recognized for her contributions. In December 2022, she was named among the “25 Most Influential Women of 2022” by the UK’s newspaper Financial Times, highlighting her unwavering commitment to promoting climate change policy.
Sherry Rehman’s inclusion in TIME’s list of the “100 Most Influential People of 2023” is a recognition of her exceptional contributions to promoting climate change policy and advocating for climate justice on a global scale. Her tireless efforts have helped to raise awareness about the devastating effects of climate change, particularly in vulnerable countries such as Pakistan, and have led to concrete steps towards addressing this pressing issue.
Sherry Rehman’s political journey began in the 1990s when she joined the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a center-left political party. She quickly rose through the ranks and was elected to the National Assembly in 2002. During her time in parliament, she was an outspoken critic of military dictatorships, advocating for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.
In 2008, Sherry Rehman was appointed as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, becoming the first woman to hold this position. She played a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan-US relations, particularly in the aftermath of the Osama bin Laden raid in 2011.
However, Sherry Rehman’s greatest contributions have been in the realm of women’s rights and social justice. She has been a vocal advocate for women’s empowerment, working tirelessly to promote gender equality in Pakistan. She played a key role in the passage of the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill, which seeks to protect women from acid attacks, a common form of violence against women in Pakistan.
Sherry Rehman has also been an advocate for the rights of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Shia Muslim community, which has faced persecution and violence in recent years. She has spoken out against the country’s blasphemy laws, which have been used to silence dissent and persecute religious minorities.
Sherry Rehman’s work has not gone unnoticed. She has received numerous accolades for her contributions to Pakistan and the world, including being ranked as one of the 100 most influential women in the world by Forbes in 2012.
In addition to her political work, Sherry Rehman is also a prolific writer and journalist. She has written for numerous publications, including The Guardian, The New York Times, and Newsweek Pakistan. Her writing focuses on issues such as women’s rights, democracy, and extremism in Pakistan.
Sherry Rehman’s influence extends beyond Pakistan’s borders. She is widely respected in the international community for her tireless efforts to promote democracy, human rights, and social justice. Her work has been recognized by numerous international organizations, including the Women’s Democracy Network and the National Endowment for Democracy.
Sherry Rehman’s recognition as one of the 100 most influential women in the world is a testament to her tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to promoting social justice, democracy, and women’s rights in Pakistan and beyond.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Coverpage’s editorial stance
