Meet Asia Ashraf; our Hubert Humphrey alumna 2015-2016. Asia has always been interested in helping people and engaging in social issues. The Humphrey Fellowship was a perfect fit for her because it empowered her to see herself as a change agent who could make a difference in people’s lives and counteract social issues. Her fellowship was in the field of Substance Abuse, Education, Treatment, Policy and Prevention from Virginia Commonwealth University, USA.
Asia’s stay in the U.S. under Hubert Humphrey Fellowship helped her to avail great opportunities including keynote address at the UN Informal Interactive Stakeholder Consultation preparatory to the UNGA Special Session on World Drug Problem, held in New York on February 10, 2016. Asia’s practical experience, yearlong stay at USA as a Humphrey Fellow, active participation in UNGASS, close and responsible role in drug policy futures and in gender working group has given her good insight into drug situation, strategies, and perspective of the world on it.
Asia is a core team member of the Gender Working Group by World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD) to address specifically the illicit drug use among women, gender-based violence and its correlation with illicit drug use and access to health care, treatment, and recovery services for women. Whilst advocating for women’s rights and contributing to the global drug policy debate, she has also launched a first ever Recovery Club- an open, free, friendly, and safe space for persons in recovery at Islamabad, Pakistan. Hubert H. Humphrey fellowship has given her an opportunity to play an active role in the development of humane, balanced international drug policy. She is also a member of the VNGOC Asia-Pacific working group.
Besides this, Asia holds Masters in Applied Psychology (2003) from Punjab University and diplomas in HR Management and Speech & Language Therapy from Islamabad. Starting as an intern psychologist (2003), she remained Director Rehabilitation and Head of Psychology Department, Sunny Trust Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, Islamabad until 2019. She is also the national trainer UTC for the UNODC and Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program and is internationally certified addiction professional (ICAP-II) from GCCE, Sri Lanka. Currently, she is serving as Director Rehabilitation and Consultant Psychologist at Greenfield Hospital of Psychiatry, Banigala, Islamabad.
Asia has been recently elected as a Secretary to the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) board. PUAN wishes her all the best for future endeavors.
