Marina is a writer and activist whose passion for women's rights has been a constant thread throughout her working life. As a newspaper columnist, she has written about the many injustices Malaysian women suffer for over 25 years. She is also an HIV/AIDS activist, and has fought for the vulnerabilities of women in the epidemic to be recognised and acted upon in order to protect them. Marina has also co-produced a TV programme for young women called 3R - Respect, Relax & Respond to educate them about their rights and to provide them with options in life other than what they are often given.

She is also on the Board of Trustees of the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh which seeks to provide tertiary education to young Asian women from underprivileged backgrounds. Marina has been particularly interested in Muslim women's rights and is a member of the advocacy group Sisters in Islam, and sits on the International Advisory Group of Musawah, the global movement for justice and equality in the Muslim family.

In 2014, Marina founded Zafigo.com, a travel website for women in Asia, which seeks to empower women through informed and independent travel.

Speaker for:
GETTING THE FROG FROM UNDER THE COCONUT - WELCOME BY DPMM, FOUNDER OF ZAFIGO.COM.

Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, the founder of Zafigo and ZafigoX, shares her first childhood experiences travelling with her Dad, the big scary moment when she travelled on her own for the first time, how travel has changed her view of herself and the world, and what she has learned.

Moderator for:
IT WAS TOUGH, IT HURT, BUT I DID IT, AND IT MADE ME FEEL GOOD 

Featuring: Manal al-Sharif, Nelleisa Omar, Hazleen Panayiotou

There are different ways to travel. Some people want the most convenient and comfortable way to travel while some want more from the experience. In this panel we have women who have faced extraordinary challenges in order to embrace the freedom of mobility and travel and yet never let these challenges stop them. Whether it is illness, or government restrictions or mountains, women have toughened it out, conquered and come away with a new perspective on themselves.