Rakhshinda Perveen, has over 16 years of diverse experience in training, action research, development management, Documentary film making and advocacy on issues of public health, gender and social communication. As a physician turned public health specialist, she co-founded a voluntary organization SACHET (www.sachet.org.pk) in 1998 and later set up a resource centre AGEHI(ADVOCATES OF GENDER,EDUCATION & HEALTH INFORMATION)I. She had been into creative writing since her early teenage. In 1995, she was selected as the anchor for live morning shows on the national TV network. That opportunity also put her in the position of the first Pakistani woman to anchor live morning shows on current affairs. She has the honor of producing ‘Gender Watch’ (1999-2000) a PTV Excellence award winning 19-episode 25 minute TV documentary series  ,( based on the communication model, she proposed in her post graduate thesis).  that pioneered public discourse on gender in Pakistan.

 

As a self made professional and self taught film maker, who believes in the power of visuals for changing centuries old mindsets, challenging the elitist consensus and making development process inclusive she has so far delivered 38 documentaries the details of which are as follows:

1. Concept, Script, Research and Supervision of the direction as the Executive Producer for a 10 minute documentary, The Rhythm of life on Reproductive Health Issues of Adolescents in rural areas of Pakistan in January 2008. It was screened at a policy dialogue with policy makers.
2. Directed, researched and Scripted “from Khyber to Karachi” for Family Health International (FHI), Pakistan, NACP, Ministry of Health,GoP in April 2007. The film highlighted vulnerability of the long distance truck drivers across Pakistan to HIV and AIDS, social dilemmas in a society perceived as religious, and how the national program with FHI is struggling to find certain realistic solutions. This film was selected out of more than 1000 entries as one of the 159 film for airing at the fokus of the 38th international student film festival Sehsüchte by film school HFF ( 21^st APRIL -26 April 2009) in Potsdam, Germany.
3. Directed, researched and Scripted “Beyond Judgment”. This short English documentary (5 min. 40 sec.) is one of her experimental works. She has taken the complex linkages between the institution of marriage, practice of MSM and vulnerability of wives of men who are in this practice to HIV in the cultural context of Pakistan. She did this production on behalf of young TV producers Asian Association Network, Asia Pacific institute of Development Broadcasts in January 2007. This documentary is being widely screened in Pakistan and used as the advocacy tool.
4. Concept, Script, Research and Direction for a 15-minute Documentary Reproductive Health Issues of Pakistani Youth under the umbrella of a 7-country project RHIYA (Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia) by UNFPA, funded by European Commission in 2005.It was screened at the RHIYA Summit in 2006.
5. Concept, Script and direction of a 13-episode 15-minute documentary series Fight against Dowry-2003. (Aired on national and private TV channels in Pakistan beside being used as an advocacy tool by different NGOs working on women issues. )
6. Developed a public service messages-Infomercial- on dowry and violence for Pakistan TV channels on the occasion of International women’s` day, 2002.
7. Concept, Script and direction of a 25-minute documentary Pakistan Pakistan for 14^th Aug `02. (Aired on PTV-state TV and ARY-Private TV Channel)
8. Concept, Research, Script and Direction of a 19-episode 25-minute documentary series Gender Watch in 1999-2000. (Aired on PTV, PTV US, Prime TV UK and ARY). It has been extensively used for training and advocacy purpose by the CSOs working on such issues in Pakistan.

 THIS PROFILE WAS LAST UPDATED ON 5th MAY 2009