Ahmed was born and raised in
Addu City, Maldives. She has a degree in banking and finance from
Monash University's
Malaysian campus in
Subang Jaya, as well as a master's degree in finance and investment from the
University of Nottingham in the
United Kingdom. She worked for a time as a financial consultant. In 2016, Ahmed established Women and Democracy, a non-governmental organisation that expanded on the scope of Women on Boards by aiming to increase female representation in policy and decision making, including within the political sphere. It also supported female victims of domestic abuse by establishing a helpline and providing counselling services. Through Women and Democracy, Ahmed completed political empowerment workshops on all 20
Maldivian atolls. In 2017,
Forbes named Ahmed as among its
30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs in Asia. Zahir is an ardent supporter of the
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and is active in its political activities, frequently attending party rallies. In 2019, Ahmed announced her candidacy to serve as president of the
Maldivian Democratic Party's women's wing; she ultimately placed second to
Rozaina Adam. On 22 August, the
President of the Maldives,
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, announced that Ahmed would be joining the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a communication strategist, having previously worked as an assistant director in the President's Office. During the
COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives from 2020, Ahmed led a campaign to provide menstrual products to female emergency workers and volunteers, as well as to quarantined and isolated women during
lockdowns. In 2024, she contested in that year's
parliamentary election from the capital
Malé, placing second in a competitive race, and was noted for breaking ground in the country’s male-dominated political landscape. In 2025, the
Asia Society named Ahmed as one of that year's Next Generation Fellows, marking the first time a
Maldivian had been selected. Zahir presently served as a board member of the Give to Africa charity. == References ==