Anwar Fazal is a leading international civil society person who has contributed much to our society in areas of consumer, health environment, human rights and social ethics. Deeply concerned about the social injustices, especially those unconscionable marketing practices by the transnational corporations in developing countries, he has strived to and has succeeded in bringing these to international attention way back in the 1970s.

Currently he is also Chairman Emeritus of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), which he founded in 1991. WABA is an umbrella 'network of networks' working on breastfeeding issues and best known for World Breastfeeding Week which is a very creative mobilisation activity celebrated globally.

He also serves as Chairperson of the Taiping Peace Initiative and the Malaysian Interfaith Network and is on the Board of Citizens International, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth, Malaysia), Pesticides Action Network (PAN), Transparency International Malaysia, Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society, Penang Free School (PFS) Foundation and is a Trustee of the Penang Heritage Trust.

Honors and recognition:

• Conferred the Right Livelihood Award, popularly called the "Alternative Nobel Prize" for his work in promoting and protecting the public interest in 1982.
• Awarded the title "Activist of the Year" in 1983 by Ralph Nader's magazine, Multinational Monitor, and elected to the "Environmental Hall of Fame" by Mother Earth News.
• In 1988, he was presented with the "Global 500" Award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for his work on consumers and the environment.
• Awarded the International Health Award in 1995 by the La Leche League for his work in promoting the welfare of mothers and children world over.
• Awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (the National University) in Kuala Lumpur in 1997 and Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang in 1999.
• Conferred Gandhi-King-Ikeda Community Builders Prize by the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 21st October 2006
• Currently serves on the jury of the Goldman Environmental Prize, among the largest awards for grassroots environmental activists.