Muniba Mazari (Urdu: ????? ???????; born 3 March 1987) is a Pakistani artist, model, activist, motivational speaker, singer, and television host. She uses a wheelchair due to injuries sustained in a car accident at the age of 21 which makes her Pakistan's first wheelchair-using model. She is also the National Ambassador for UN Women Pakistan.
Video Muniba Mazari
Early life
Muniba Mazari is of Baloch background. In 2007, Muniba met a car accident in which she sustained multiple injuries including spinal cord which left her paraplegic. Along with philanthropic efforts, she has established her brand known as Muniba's Canvas with the slogan Let Your Walls Wear Colors. Her medium is acrylics on canvas.
Maps Muniba Mazari
Career
Muniba Mazari, who currently serves as the National Ambassador for UN Women Pakistan and has participated as a motivational speaker at various conferences and forums, her first break being TEDx Islamabad. She was one of the two Pakistanis to be named BBCs 100 most inspirational women in 2015, and works as an occasional anchor at PTV, being their first wheelchair-using anchor. Additionally, Muniba is the first wheelchair-using model for the Toni&Guy in Pakistan, featured in Forbes 30 under 30 in 2016, and head of CSR for Chughtai Labs.
=== Motivational Speaker ===Muniba has given motivational talks on various platforms like TEDx, Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), Young presidents' Organization (YPO), Youth Entrepreneur Organization (YEO), Global Leadership Conference (GLC) 2016, VCon Malaysia 2017, Vcon Dubai 2017 , Leadership Summit Pakistan, etc. She is Pakistan's first Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women. Muniba is also the anchor person of Pakistan's National Television.
Controversies
Muniba Mazari has been at the center of controversy lately as she has been accused of plagiarizing another artist Laiba Baig's work.
The disability movement of Pakistan, in general, now has decided to distance themselves from her. Muhammad Atif Sheikh, president Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP), a DPO (Disabled People Organization) to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities said, "Muniba is presenting a model of sympathy as an ambassador. We don't want to quote names or hinder her efforts but she isn't doing anything for the disability movement and is merely cashing in on her disability."She is trying to get attention using the charity model of disability, which is entirely wrong and isn't what a representative should do. She shouldn't be an ambassador of disability for any organization because a representative/ambassador always advocates the rights-based approach and equality, not try to gain sympathy. Disability is a diversified way of living, not a brave struggle."
Leading right activists for disabled people also share Sheikh's view that Mazari has now changed her priorities. She also said that earlier she was in the right direction, but now she is using her disability to get fame.
"But as she has now shifted the concept of disability to fit her agenda, we don't want anything to do with her. She wants to cash in on the sympathy and therefore, we don't have any connection with her. Disability has nothing to do with sympathy."
See also
- 100 Women
- List of Pakistani writers
- List of Pakistani women writers
- List of Pakistani artists
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia