Fridae

Ayub is renowned for her work defending the rights of Malaysia’s transgenders who are often persecuted under Sharia Law in various states in Malaysia. She has set up two organisations, Seed Foundation and Justice for Sisters.

Through Justice for Sisters, she has been fighting to repeal laws that criminalize transgender persons based on gender identity and in 2014 Malaysia's Court of Appeals accepted the group’s legal challenge against the Sharia law, and passed a judgment ruling that the Sharia law was "discriminatory and unconstitutional". The Federal Court overturned this decision in 2015.

Boris Dittrich, advocacy director of HRW’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights programme said “Thanks to Nisha’s years of dedication she put equal rights for transgender people in Malaysia on the map.”

“She works in a hostile environment where religious police sometimes arrest transgender people. Through her work she became a lightning rod and an inspiration inside Malaysia but also internationally. She is a woman of courage.” he added.

“I feel honoured and the award is also about the visibility of the community, It’s all about recognition of [the] trans community [at the] international level”  Ayub told the Malay Mail Online.