Zehra Khan

When Khan was a student of the women studies department, she learned about contributions of home based workers and she took up the subject for her Master's thesis.[5][6] In her study, she realized the need for legal rights that could protect these workers.[7][8] Khan had the idea of forming federations by bringing workers from different industries.[9][10] She started her door-to-door campaign of encouraging women to attend HBWWF's meetings.[11][12] The meetings involved regular discussion circles which eventually convinced the women to join the organization's rallies.[13][14]

The formation of unions started off with the bangle industry and gradually moved towards the garment industry.[15][16] Khan then started working towards making a law specifically for home-based workers and so she started forming circles of them.[17][18] Khan's work eventually led to the formation of unions in Sindh and Baluchistan, the first of its kind in South Asia.[19][20] This culminated in the founding of the Home-Based Women Workers Federation on December 30, 2019.

Khan is also a part of civil society groups and associations.[21][22] She is also an activist who has taken part in rallies and protests involving women's rights, human rights, labor rights, and minority protection.[23][24][25] She has worked to bring awareness on the subject of workplace and sexual harassment and labor rights.[26][27][28]