16 Facts About Nina Ansary

Nina Ansary was born in Tehran and moved with her family to the United States after the 1979 Revolution in Iran.

Nina Ansary grew up in New York City and received her bachelor's degree from Barnard College at Columbia University and both her master's degree and doctorate from Columbia University.

Nina Ansary's research challenged stereotypical assumptions about the lives of women under these policies.

The Daily Beast published Nina Ansary's essays, including analysis of women's rights activists in Iran using modern interpretations of the Koran as a means to reverse some of the gender discriminatory laws.

Nina Ansary became a regular commentator: she wrote widely about the rise of women's literacy in Iran and the renewed publication of post-revolutionary Iran's longest running women's publication Zanan magazine.

Nina Ansary brought attention to the release of Desert Dancer, a biographical film about Iranian dancer Afshin Ghaffarian.

Nina Ansary was included in the 2015 InspireFest in Dublin, Ireland.

Nina Ansary has appeared on Larry King, The BBC and Fox News and been featured in a variety of top publications, including CNN.

In 2017, Nina Ansary was invited to be a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics Centre for Women, Peace and Security.

In 2018, Nina Ansary was appointed as UN Women Champion for Innovation to advance women and girls in Technology and Entrepreneurship.

In 2019, Nina Ansary received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

In 2020, Nina Ansary was appointed as an expert for Women's Media Center SheSource.

Nina Ansary began serving as the Director of the World Affairs Councils of America Global Women's Lecture Series.

In 2022, Nina Ansary was appointed Director of the Middle East and North Africa Forum Women's Leadership Initiative at the University of Cambridge.

Nina Ansary announced her next book, Anonymous Is a Woman: A Global Chronicle of Gender Inequality, would be published by Revela Press, LLC on March 8,2020.

Nina Ansary serves on the board of trustees of the Iranian American Women Foundation and the international advisory board at University of Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum, She donated the profits from her book to charities, primarily those that aid disadvantaged girls and women in Iran.