Maryam Kanwer is an experienced HR Advocate and Researcher at Al-Khoei Foundation since September 2017, focusing on community engagement and advocacy for religious freedom, particularly for Shia Muslim prisoners. With prior roles as Programme Manager and Researcher at the Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development at the Institute of Development Studies, Maryam has a strong background in managing initiatives on freedom of religion or belief. Past experiences include directing youth peace-building efforts at HIVE Karachi, managing community workshops on countering violent extremism with the Pakistan Youth Alliance, and serving in various project management roles across organizations like Philip Morris International, GIZ, and ActionAid. Maryam holds two master's degrees from the University of the Punjab in Islamic Studies and Iranian/Persian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.