Bharti Sharma, born in 1941, has degrees in Home Science (specialization in Child development), followed by Social Work from M.S. University, Baroda and Ph.D. on Juvenile Delinquency from South- Gujarat University, Surat. She has teaching experience at graduate and post graduate levels at different Universities in India and abroad. Her experience at the field level has been in India and United Kingdom.
Soon after her retirement as Associate Professor, Social Work, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, she was appointed Chairperson of Child Welfare Committee, New Delhi for two consecutive terms – 2003 to 2009. This is a statutory body under the aegis of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. She was on the Committee for drafting Model Rules, 2007 of the said Juvenile Justice Act. She has also been on various committees of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and various organizations. She has closely worked with National Commission for Women on the issue of domestic workers and their rights. She has also chaired Domestic Workers Rights Campaign.
She has been consultant to INGOs and NGOS on different matters affecting lives of children and women. Her work includes training and capacity building, evaluation of projects, counselling, advocacy and policy matters. She is also on Trust and Boards of various organizations working on the issue of children and women. She has been leading Shakti Shalini – a non-government organization working on gender based violence in the capacity of Honorary Secretary since 2014. Since the Sexual Harassment of Women at work Place, Act 2013, she has been on the Internal Committee of various organizations – government, non-government and also academic institutions. Also, she has been Chairperson of Local Committee, South-East District, Delhi.
She has been the recipient of the highest French distinction of the Award the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour) conferred by the President of the Republic of France in 2017 in recognition of her lifelong commitment to Child Protection and Women Empowerment. In the 4th World conference of Women Shelters held in Taiwan from 5th to 8th November, 2019, she represented India and made a presentation on Shelter Home for women survivors of gender and sexual violence.