Farah Mohamed
{{Short description|Canadian women's rights activist and senator (born 1970)}}
Farah Mohamed (born July 5, 1970) is a Canadian women's rights activist, public speaker, senator and business leader who founded G(irls)20, an annual event to bring together women from across the world.{{Cite web|title=Farah Mohamed|url=https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2014/farah-mohamed|access-date=2021-03-27|website=Canadian Immigrant|language=en-US}} She has previously served as the CEO of the Malala Fund, a non-profit organisation that advocates for girls' education.{{Cite web|title=farah.mohamed {{!}} Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation|url=https://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/member/farah-mohamed|access-date=2021-03-27|website=www.trudeaufoundation.ca}} She spent almost a decade working with Canadian politicians on Parliament Hill.
She is the recipient of a Meritorious Service Medal, a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and one of the recipients of the 2014 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards presented by Canadian Immigrant magazine.{{Cite web |last=Suhasini |first=Gloria |last2=Jingco |first2=Kaitlin |last3=Meurrens |first3=Steven |last4=Murthy |first4=Murali |title=Canadas Top 25 Immigrants 2014 |url=https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2014 |access-date=2021-06-18 |website=Canadian Immigrant |language=en-US}} In 2014, she was also recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women.{{Cite news |date=2014-10-26 |title=Who are the 100 Women 2014? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-29758792 |access-date=2022-12-17 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} She was appointed to the Senate of Canada in March 2025.{{Cite press release |title=Prime Minister announces the appointment of senators |date=2025-03-07 |publisher=Office of the Prime Minister |location=Ottawa, Ontario |url=https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/03/07/prime-minister-announces-appointment-senators |language=en |last1=Trudeau |first1=Justin |access-date=2025-03-08 |author-link1=Justin Trudeau}}
Early life and education
She was born 1970 in Uganda. Her parents sought refuge in Canada in 1972 after Asians were expelled from Uganda, and settled in St. Catharines, Ontario.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queens University and a Master of Arts and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Western Ontario.{{Cite web|title=Our Story|url=https://girls20.org/our-story|access-date=2021-03-27|website=Girls20|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2019-01-31 |title=Move over Oscars, we're announcing our 2019 policy stars |url=https://ppforum.ca/articles/move-over-oscars-were-announcing-our-2019-policy-stars/ |access-date=2021-03-27 |website=Public Policy Forum |language=en}}
G(irls)20
In 2010, she founded G(irls)20, an annual event to empower women from each of the G20 countries and Africa. Each year in advance of the G20 summit, G(irls)20 brings together women for a week of leadership training and advocacy.{{Cite web|title=G(irls)20|url=https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/girls20/|access-date=2021-03-27|website=CanadaHelps - Donate to any charity in Canada|language=en}} She served as CEO of G(irls)20 for 5 years until she became CEO of the Malala Fund.
On March 7, 2025, she was appointed to the Senate of Canada as an independent on the advice of Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau, as a representative for Ontario.
References
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Category:Canadian women's rights activists
Category:Queen's University at Kingston alumni
Category:Canadian women business executives
Category:Canadian business executives
Category:Independent Senators Group
Category:Women members of the Senate of Canada
Category:21st-century members of the Senate of Canada
Category:Canadian senators from Ontario
Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians
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