Steering group members

Adeeba Malik MBE - Yorkshire & Humber

Adeeba is Deputy Chief Executive of QED-UK a national economic development agency based in Bradford, which aims to improve the economic, social and educational position of South Asian communities. Adeeba co-chairs the Ethnic Minority Business Taskforce, is a member of the Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration (Home Office) and a trustee of the Waterways Trust. In 2004 she was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to ethnic minorities and business.

Shahda Khan - North East

Shahda Khan is the Principal Community Cohesion Officer for Middlesbrough Council and has responsibility for its outward facing diversity work. Shahda has a keen interest in issues that affect women and is a member of the North East Black Women's Domestic Violence Network. Within her current role, she works closely with Cleveland Police both in her role as Vice Chair of the Strategic Independent Advisory Group, as well as a member of its Forced Marriage & Honour Based Violence Working Group.

Shahien Taj - Wales

Shahien is the founder and Director of All Wales Saheli Association - a specialist user-led agency working to advance the needs, concerns and aspirations of Muslim children and families. The project evolved to become the Henna Foundation, an international voluntary organisation of which Shahien is the Executive Director. Shahien is a recognised campaigner against forced marriage and 'honour' based violence. She is an appointed Commissioner to the British Muslims and Islamophobia Commission and worked with the All Party Parliamentary Group - Friends of Islam on an event in Westminster in 2007, Promoting the talents of Muslim women.

Andleen Razzaq - London

Andleen has worked extensively in the UK as well as abroad on initiatives targeting diversity and welfare development. Qualified with a PGCE in Economics and Business from Manchester University, she has worked in teaching establishments throughout the UK. Andleen is a founding member and trustee for the City Circle, a charity which promotes the development of a distinct British Muslim identity and provides practical and progressive solutions to community problems. Andleen originated the flagship project of The City Circle Saturday School in West London and worked on various mentoring programmes. She is also a mother to three young children.

Shaista Gohir - West Midlands

Shaista Gohir is Executive Director of Muslim Women's Network UK, a national network of individual Muslim women and organisations that ensures their voices reach government and provides a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences. Shaista is also the founder and Director of Muslim Voice UK, an online polling organisation that aims to enhance Muslim participation in the decision making process. Shaista is an accredited specialist peer for the Improvement and Development Agency and a mentor for Mosaic.

Dr Nazia Khanum - Eastern region

Dr Nazia Khanum, Director of Equality in Diversity, has an MA in Political Science and a PhD in History. She has worked as Head of Equalities in five English local authorities in housing, employment, education, training, research and community development. Since 1983 she has been working closely with a wide range of communities and organisations on varied issues including women's equality and empowerment in London, Bedfordshire and Luton. Nazia is a Governor of a beacon Sixth Form College, chair of a Multi-agency Steering Group on Forced Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation and Violence against Women and Non Executive Director of a Primary Care Trust.

Intissar Kherigi - Eastern region

Intissar Kherigi is a trainee lawyer in the City with a human rights law background. Her current occupation is as interviewer for the New York University Brennan Centre for Social Justice on a 3-year research project into Muslim perceptions of community policing in New York. She is a vice-President of the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations and one of 30 non-governmental representatives on the Council of Europe's Advisory Council on Youth, which represents young people across the whole of Europe to the Ministerial Council on Youth.