The Islamabad Foreign Women’s Association (IFWA) elected last 08 December 2025 Mme. Alicia Kalaw-Fernandez, wife of the Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan, His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, as the Association’s new Vice President.

Mme. Fernandez brings to IFWA an impressive background in finance, diplomacy-adjacent service, and the arts. Before joining her husband in his diplomatic postings, she served for many years in the Philippine banking industry, rising to the position of Assistant Vice President at Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), one of the Philippines’ top commercial banks.

In the diplomatic community, Mme. Fernandez has previously served as Treasurer of the Asian Ambassadors’ Ladies International Association (AALIA) in Amman, Jordan and of the Asociación Internacional de Diplomáticos en España (AIDE) in Madrid, Spain. She is also an accomplished painter, chef, and writer, actively contributing to the cultural diplomacy efforts of the embassies where her husband has been assigned.

The Islamabad Foreign Women’s Association (IFWA) is an international association that seeks to foster friendship, mutual support, and cross-cultural understanding among expatriate women living in Islamabad. IFWA envisions an international community where women from diverse cultures can collaborate meaningfully, promote intercultural dialogue, and support humanitarian, educational, and cultural projects within Pakistan and the diplomatic community.

 

Membership in IFWA is open to foreign women residing in Islamabad, including the spouses of diplomats, expatriate professionals, and internationally affiliated residents.