Anjum Sultana

Anjum Sultana (She/Her) is an award-winning public affairs strategist who works at the intersection of gender equity, youth leadership, and international cooperation.

As a first-generation Canadian, Anjum leverages her expertise in public policy, programming, and board governance to be a catalyst and champion for social impact and economic inclusion in Canada and globally. A convenor and community builder, Anjum has spent the last 15 years advancing equity and access to opportunity for children and youth from diverse communities.

Anjum is the Inaugural Director of Youth Leadership & Policy Advocacy at Plan International Canada, a global development and humanitarian organization focused on children’s rights and equality for girls. Anjum leads Team PLAY (Policy, Leadership, Advocacy, and Youth), a group of passionate change-makers, youth programming specialists, and policy advocates. The team works with young people across Canada to activate their global citizenship and unlock their leadership potential as well as engages in advocacy to influence Canadian and global decision-makers such as parliamentarians, UN agencies, and multilateral institutions.

Previously, Anjum served as the National Director of Public Policy, Advocacy, & Strategic Communications at YWCA Canada, the country’s largest and oldest gender equity organization. In her role, Anjum has authored several policy reports including ‘A Feminist Economic Recovery Plan for Canada’ and ‘Preventing a Lockdown Generation in Canada’.

Anjum is a sought-after strategic advisor, who has provided policy insights and recommendations at national and international forums including to several Federal Ministries in the Government of Canada as well as G7 and G20 nations. As a thought leader and media spokesperson, Anjum has contributed commentary to platforms such as the CBC, Corporate Knights, Future of Good, National Observer, Toronto Star, and TVO.

Anjum is a Board Director for the YMCA of Greater Toronto, Regent Park Community Health Centre, and Toronto Environmental Alliance and is an Advisor for the Public Good Initiative at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. Anjum is a member of the W20, and a Fellow with the Public Policy Forum.

Anjum holds a Master of Public Health from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and a Certificate in Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School.