Payzee Mahmod

Campaigner, IKWRO

United Kingdom

Payzee Mahmod is an activist working to ban child marriage in the UK and Europe. She is currently a campaigner for IKWRO, a charity that provides advice and support to Middle Eastern, North African, and Afghan women and girls living in the UK who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing all forms of “honor” based abuse, such as forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation, and domestic abuse. Payzee recently led a petition in support of IKWRO's Safeguard Futures, Ban Child Marriage campaign, which drew nearly 250,000 signatures. Payzee was named the 2021 UK Parliament Volunteer of the Year for her advocacy work, and she received special recognition at the UN Women UK Awards 2020. She is a member of Girls Not Brides, a global network of civil society organisations countries committed to ending child marriage.