Samra Zafar

Samra Zafar is an award-winning international speaker, bestselling author, consultant, educator, and entrepreneur who advocates for gender equity, inclusion, and human rights. She has been recognized among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, and a Top 25 Canadian Immigrant. Her book, A Good Wife: Escaping The Life I Never Chose, is an international bestseller and named among CBC's Best Books of 2019, and is now being adapted to a premium TV series. She is one of the youngest Alumni Governors at the University of Toronto, a Celebrated Ambassador for Plan International, and a board member for Women's College Hospital Foundation.

After arriving in Canada as a child bride and escaping a decade of abuse, Zafar pursued her education as a single mother working multiple jobs and graduated as a top student from University of Toronto with several awards and scholarships. She began sharing her story to raise awareness about gender-based violence and has since become a globally recognized expert on equity and inclusion, violence against women, and mental health. Her speaking portfolio includes three TEDx Talks, and speeches to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, UNICEF, Yale University, Amnesty International, Art of Leadership, and many leading nonprofits, corporations and universities around the world. Her work has been extensively featured in both Canadian and International media, including Washington Post, Huffington Post, National Post, Globe and Mail, CBC, CTV, Global News, Yahoo, and more - impacting tens of millions of people worldwide.