Baroness Manzila Pola Khan Uddin is a Member of the House of Lords, where she sits as a non-affiliated peer. She was appointed to the House of Lords in 1998, becoming the first Muslim and Bengali woman to be granted a life peerage in the United Kingdom. Prior to her appointment, she worked as a community and social worker in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, with a focus on housing, youth, and education.

She specialises in social policy, community cohesion, women’s rights, race relations, and disability inclusion. Her work in these areas has been reflected in her contributions to parliamentary debates and public policy discussions, both nationally and internationally.

She studied at the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University), where she trained in social work. Her educational background laid the foundation for her early professional roles in social services and community engagement.

Baroness Uddin has focused on advancing the skills and empowerment of Asian women in Britain, including co-founding the Jagonari Centre in 1987. She holds roles with several organisations, including the St Katharine’s and Shadwell Trust, the EOP Implementation Committee, and parliamentary groups on international students and the metaverse. She has also contributed to national discussions on extremism and foreign policy and was shortlisted for Female Peer of the Year in 2009.

Baroness Uddin’s professional approach is rooted in inclusive policy-making and community-led development. Her work continues to focus on social justice, equality, and advocacy for marginalised groups across both parliamentary and civil society platforms.