Ali Asghar

Ali Asghar

Ali Asghar


Ali grew up in Pakistan and for the past several years has worked as a filmmaker, with a focus on documentary films as an instrument for social change. Working closely with the non-profit sector and academia, Ali has documented Pakistan's third gender and women's access to reproductive and health services, especially contraceptives, in remote, rural areas of Pakistan. He has been part of a study on youth aspirations in Pakistan, conducted by Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and since then has been serving as program director for Parwaz Male Health Society (PMHS), a grassroots community based organization in Karachi, which runs an STI/HIV clinic for men at high risk for HIV. Supported by the Global Fund, PMHS also provides a safe community space for at-risk male youth and advocates with the government for policy change around access to health services for at-risk sexual minorities.


Ali aims to develop and test a peer-led behavior change intervention that uses Participatory Reflection and Analysis (PRA) tools as the key communication approach to promote uptake of HIV testing and adoption of safe sex practices. Results will be used to advocate for policy adoption by other organizations and by state agencies involved in promoting preventive behaviors related to HIV among at-risk men, particularly youth.

Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, BS, 2004