Maryam is an award-winning Afghan-Australian human rights champion, diversity & inclusion practitioner, self-thought artist and social commentator.

Maryam has a successful track record of entrepreneurship and building an organisation, Afghan Women on the Move; www.afghanwomenonthemove.org.au and has consultancy agency Women Empowerment Pty Ltd that provides consulting services to mainstream organisations on the topic of cultural, diversity and women.  

Afghan Women on the Move (AWOTM) is not for profit organization. AWOTM creates a safe platform for women as survivors of war and trauma, to gather and participate in Life-Skill, Educational, Arts, Cultural programs.

Maryam’s work focuses on gender equality, women`s right and the displacement of the Afghan diaspora around the world with a focus on those from minority backgrounds. Maryam is dedicated to empowering women and ensuring that they are recognised and valued for the care and love they provide to their families and communities. She believes that stronger families lead to stronger communities. 

Maryam has been an amazing success story for a refugee woman. She came to Australia as a refugee in the year 1999 at the age 20. After completing her HSC she pursued her further studies in the field of social work and community services, to follow her passion from an early age, of helping the wider community. Her studies branched into many fields of studies including Community Services, Teacher Aid, Health Counselling.

Maryam has worked in the community sector over 21 years. Her role involved in Domestic Violence Prevention, case management and refugee resettlement programs working with newly arrived refugees and migrants in Australia. She is also a bi-lingual health educator at NSW Refugee Health and casual voice dabber at SBS Australia.

Maryam is a committed volunteer, giving her time generously to community causes that she believes in.

Maryam sits on many boards of advisories, including Women`s Reference group at department of Home Affairs, Women advisory board and multicultural advisory board at Blacktown City Council. She is an active consumer representative at Western Sydney Health district advocating on behalf of culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) communities. She is also exclusive committee councillor for WentWest Limited.