Rasheda K. Choudhury

Championed children's rights through education reforms in Bangladesh

Rasheda Khatun Choudhury (b.1960) transformed Bangladesh's education system through her BRAC organization. She pioneered the Non-Formal Primary Education (NFPE) program, which enrolled 1 million out-of-school children by 2000. Choudhury's approach emphasized gender equality, ensuring 60% female enrollment in her schools. Her BRAC schools model was replicated in 10 countries including India and Pakistan. In 1998, she co-founded the Child Rights Information Bureau to advocate for policy changes. Choudhury's work led to Bangladesh's 2003 Education for All initiative, reducing primary school dropout rates by 40%. Her TED Talk on 'Education as Liberation' has been viewed over 2 million times. Choudhury's 2005 book Every Child's Right to Education remains a key resource for policy makers.