"I have always seen myself as a leader - not a boss or an employer. Our work on digital rights sets an important precedent, not only in Pakistan, but in South Asia. It is also important that we, as DRF, work with others across our region, so that we can all achieve a safer digital realm. I believe it is very important to trust yourself and surround yourself with people who encourage you to be resilient. You need to drown out all the voices that tell you that you are wrong or that you are not making sense and focus on the results of your actions. Those are the true validations of what you are all about."
Nighat Dad is a Pakistani lawyer and Internet activist, who runs the not-for-profit organisation Digital Rights Foundation. Her work in the field of digital rights and security has earned her many international awards. Pakistan's Nighat Dad was named as member of Facebook's independent oversight board that can overrule the company's own content moderation decisions.