Fayyaz Baqir is a Development Practitioner. At present he is a visiting professor at University of Ottawa. During the past 3 decades he has been engaged in managing grant programmes for supporting Local Agenda 21. He has advised, researched, taught and written on innovative practices for achieving global development goals through local action. Special focus of his work has been on poverty alleviation, participatory development and social entrepreneurship.

As part of his work he has worked as Programme Monitoring Officer of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), National Coordinator of UNDP’s small grants programme, Chief Executive Officer of Trust for Voluntary Organizations (TVO), Senior Civil Society Advisor of UN system in Pakistan and served on the Board of Advisors of Ministry of Environment and the Committee for Social Safety Network Policy review of the Government of Pakistan.

He has researched, taught and lectured on innovative participatory development practices at Georgetown University, Harvard University, McGill University, Gothenburg University, Tilburg University, Wellesley College, Pacific University, University of Idaho, Punjab University, National Defence University and Fatima Jinnah Women University.

He serves on the Boards of numerous NGOs in Pakistan and led the process for developing country strategies for Plan International, Water Aid, World Vision and Rural Development Policy Institute in Pakistan. He received award for setting up the most vibrant small grants programme in Pakistan and knowledge sharing award from UNDP’s poverty alleviation practice network for 2 consecutive years.