Anniesa was born and raised in Bradford to Pakistani parents, who converted from Islam to Christianity. Her family endured 20 years of religiously-motivated persecution by factions of the predominantly Pakistani Muslim community in Bradford, leading her to describe the ordeal as a third world experience in a first world country.
Anniesa is a writer who is passionate about bringing womens’ and minority stories to mainstream spaces.
She set up Radical Within Reason (RWR) in 2014, to initially document the physical and psychological impact of the persecution, particularly given the lack of support and help to the family from local police, MPs and faith leaders within the community. RWR is a platform to advocate for and highlight stories and experiences of religious minorities and women groups, both of which are typically underrepresented in today’s media.
Anniesa holds a MSci degree in International Relations & Global Issues from the University of Nottingham. Her key areas of advocacy include freedom of religion, womens’ rights and the misuse of blasphemy laws in the Global South and diaspora communities. Her professional portfolio includes working in religious minority research and advocacy, youth and women-led grassroots and civil society NGOs, peacebuilding projects, corporate media and communications.
She joined Women Living Under Muslim Laws in 2020, a transnational women’s solidarity network which promotes human rights, gender justice and equality for people whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by patriarchal and/or authoritarian interpretations of Islam. Anniesa joined WLUML in 2020 and has since gone on to set up The WLUML Podcast in 2022, in addition to contributing as a researcher and council member. She focuses on examining state and non-state persecution and discrimination of marginalised groups and individuals from non-Muslim beliefs, and women’s rights in public spaces.
Published Work
- Challenging whether Freedom of Religion exists in the United Kingdom, with regards to the rise in persecution of Apostates from Islam, University of Nottingham
- Hate Crimes in the UK Against Ex-Muslims: Experiences, Effects and Recommendations, British Pakistani Christian Association
- Hate Crimes in the UK Against Ex-Muslims: Experiences, Effects and Recommendations, UK Parliamentary Committee
- Asia Bibi’s Asylum Limbo, Uncommon Ground Media
- Less Theory, More Practice: Why the Re-emergence of the Taliban Should Concern Britain , Uncommon Ground Media
- Maira Shahbaz Must be Granted Asylum From Sexual Slavery in Pakistan , Uncommon Ground Media
- We are building our own history”: Thinzar Shunlei Yi Talks to GNWP About the Future of Myanmar Amidst a Military Coup, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders
- “I feel fortunate and proud of my education!” In conversation with a Rohingya Young Women Leader, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders
- Why the Women of Afghanistan’s Support for the Iran Uprising is a Lesson to us All, Women Living Under Muslim Laws
- Women’s Rights as Human Rights: The History of the Transnational Feminist Organization – Women Living Under Muslim Laws, Journal of Middle Eastern Politics & Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
You can find Anniesa on Spotify, X, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook.