Dr. Quratulain Bakhteari

Chief Innovation Officer

Dr. Quratulain Bakhteari brings over four decades of dedication to empowering marginalized communities, particularly women and children. Her career is marked by relentless innovation and commitment to grassroots development initiatives that foster sustainable social change.

As the founding director and president of the Executive Committee at the Institute for Development Studies and Practices (IDSP) in Pakistan, Dr. Bakhteari has been instrumental in conceptualizing and implementing courses since 1997. These courses have developed the skills of young women and men, enabling them to become effective community leaders and explorers of reality. Her innovative approach has provided a creative learning space for thousands, fostering their growth as dedicated leaders in community development.

Under Dr. Bakhteari’s leadership, IDSP has mobilized resources and established critical learning systems as part of its educational policies. She has successfully secured grants, awards, and fellowships, and has provided consulting services for local, national, and international projects. Her efforts have reached urban and rural communities across over 50 districts of Pakistan, empowering over 1200 community-based learners, teaching, and research fellows, with a significant focus on women.

Dr. Bakhteari’s notable contributions include pioneering a course on Mainstreaming Gender and Development, initiating a fellowship concept within IDSP, and establishing community education processes for girls' continued education. She has empowered 400 community midwives across Balochistan and created creative reading material for 4000 adolescents in non-formal learning settings. Her innovative public-private partnerships in maternal health and girls' education have significantly impacted community support for girls' primary education and nutrition in Balochistan schools.

Her extensive experience also includes serving as the Process Manager for Women's Focus Interventions in the Pakistan Participatory Poverty Assessment (Balochistan), and as the Team Leader for various impactful programs such as the Educational Reform Plan, Breaking the Poverty Cycle of Women through Education and Economic Empowerment, and Mainstreaming Gender and Development in the Devolution of Government System.

Dr. Bakhteari has been a technical advisor and lead consultant for numerous educational and community development projects funded by prestigious organizations such as the British Council, the Academy for Educational Development, and the Government of Pakistan. Her efforts have resulted in increased girls' enrollment in schools, the establishment of thousands of community-supported girls' schools, and the development of innovative training programs for teachers and community workers.

In recognition of her contributions, Dr. Bakhteari has been a keynote speaker and panelist at various international conferences and workshops. She has shared her insights on topics such as gender development, community participation, education reform, and grassroots development in countries including the USA, India, China, and Canada.