Food fortification helps ensure people get essential micronutrients through daily staples. In Pakistan, it is also an emerging space for advancing gender equality within the food industry. While women remain underrepresented in the large-scale food fortification (LSFF) workforce, they are among those most affected by micronutrient deficiencies, making their inclusion at industry level a critical step in developing effective, inclusive and equitable programs.

Nutrition International, through its gender mainstreaming approach, is working to promote women’s participation and leadership across the LSFF value chain. A sex and gender-based analysis conducted for LSFF programs in Pakistan highlighted both the sociocultural and systemic barriers women face and the opportunities for their engagement in roles such as quality assurance, management and advocacy.

There are already examples of women millers who are trailblazers within gender mainstreaming efforts at various levels in the LSFF sector across Pakistan. Their successes, experiences and learnings can help support other millers to adopt gender-responsive business practices along with fortification best practices. These efforts came to the forefront during the 2025 national and provincial Millers for Nutrition coalition launches, where four women were recognized for their leadership and contributions. Below, we highlight the women millers whose work is helping strengthen fortification efforts and reshape a sector long dominated by men.

Fatima ShoaibDirector and owner

Fatima Shoaib is a distinguished entrepreneur advancing Pakistan’s LSFF agenda through leadership, collaboration and a strong commitment to quality. As a director and owner, she has guided the company to improve compliance with national fortification standards and ensure the production of high-quality fortified edible oil.

Under her leadership, the mill strengthened its fortification systems by installing required equipment and testing devices and actively engaged in training, monitoring and quality assurance activities supported by Nutrition International. These efforts have helped strengthen the implementation and the quality of fortified edible oil being produced while promoting public health nutrition outcomes.

Fatima is also the first female Executive Member of the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA), where she has broken industry barriers and demonstrated the critical role women can play in leading progress in fortification. Beyond commercial operations, her leadership has extended to humanitarian support, including the provision of fortified oil supplies during flood relief efforts in collaboration with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

As both a mill owner and industry representative, Fatima continues to play a pivotal role in advancing fortification efforts and strengthening coordination across policy and operations.

Mahpara MumtazChief Executive Officer

Mahpara Mumtaz leads with a vision that integrates innovation, quality and public health. As CEO, the company became an active participant in Pakistan’s national food fortification movement, aligning its production processes with national fortification standards and embedding nutrition-focused practices across operations.

Working closely with Nutrition International, the edible oil manufacturer emerged as one of the early adopters of vitamin A and D fortification. The technical assistance provided through this partnership helped in improving the capacity and quality monitoring conducted in the mill, positioning the company as a model for best practices within the sector.

Mahpara’s commitment to improvement in dietary quality through LSFF, particularly among women and children, reflects her belief that industrial growth and social responsibility go hand in hand. Through her advocacy in industry forums, she continues to emphasize the role of the private sector in addressing micronutrient deficiencies and supporting national public health nutrition goals.

As one of the few women CEOs in Pakistan’s edible oil industry, Mahpara exemplifies how women’s leadership can drive meaningful, nutrition-focused change in a traditionally male-dominated sector.

Kynat RazaManaging Director

Kynat Raza is a prominent advocate for food fortification and a strong voice for women in Pakistan’s edible oil industry. As manager director, she leads an established edible oil company while championing the adoption of fortification best practices across the sector.

Her leadership extends beyond day-to-day operations. Kynat has played an influential role in national food fortification initiatives, working closely with policymakers, industry leaders and key stakeholders to promote compliance and strengthen implementation. At her mill, she has overseen fortification processes and supported the quality control and quality assurance team to ensure products meet required specifications, alongside active participation in Nutrition International’s capacity-building initiatives.

Kynat also serves as Advisor to the Chairman of the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA), contributing to policy and regulatory discussions that shape the edible oil sector. Her engagement with Millers for Nutrition, training sessions and seminars has made her a consistent advocate for collaboration, quality and inclusion.

Through her leadership, Kynat continues to influence fortification progress while representing women’s contributions within industry decision-making spaces.

Raheela MahmoodHead of Quality Control

With two decades of experience in quality assurance and compliance, Raheela Mahmood plays a vital role in advancing food fortification efforts. Her work focuses on ensuring fortified edible oil meet national standards, contributing to improved public health outcomes across Pakistan.

Raheela is a strong proponent of women’s empowerment and gender equality in the workplace. She has actively promoted the inclusion of women in laboratory and compliance roles, creating opportunities within a supply chain traditionally dominated by men. Her approach reflects a belief that gender-responsive practices strengthen both businesses and fortification programs.

The mill has long fortified its brands in line with national standards, and Raheela’s engagement with Nutrition International has further strengthened these efforts. Technical assistance, training and subsidy support have helped enhance the mill’s fortification systems, while Nutrition International’s emphasis on gender integration has reinforced her commitment to advancing women’s participation in quality and compliance roles.

Through her leadership and collaboration, Raheela continues to support industry-led initiatives such as Millers for Nutrition and contribute to collective efforts to address micronutrient deficiencies in Pakistan.

By leading from mills, laboratories, and industry platforms, these women are helping shape a stronger, more inclusive food fortification system.

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