Sardar Asif
Program Development Lead
Sardar Asif obtained an MBA (Master of Business Administration) with a project management concentration from Preston's University of Pakistan. Mr. Asif has worked for a number of reputable international organizations, such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Afghanistan, USAID, Community World Services Asia, International Medical Corps, Aid Medical International, and Handicap International. He has over 20 years of expertise project and program management in portfolio of Health initiatives, DRR, M&E, GBV, women’s empowerment, Good governance, stability and conflicts resolution, Livelihood projects, and community development program in Afghanistan and Pakistan. By earning professional certifications in project management (PMP), Mr. Asif has improved his knowledge and proficiency in the industry.
Dr Masouda Sarwari
Women Socio-Economic Empowerment Program Lead
Dr Masouda Sarwari is a dynamic strategist, researcher, and educator with extensive experience in business development and academic leadership. She has significantly empowered women and fostered inclusive education, particularly in under-resourced communities. Masouda’s career began in Afghanistan, where she successfully led the Women in Economy project funded by USAID, crafting strategies to support women entrepreneurs, enhance economic empowerment, and improve access to business resources. She also managed the Children in Crisis (CIC) project funded by the United Kingdom, designing culturally relevant curricula and mentoring students and their families. Masouda served as a Visiting Lecturer at Moraa Educational Complex in her academic roles, where she developed and delivered lectures, secured research funding, and produced impactful publications. She has a strong research portfolio, peer-reviewed articles on microfinance and empowerment, and presentations at esteemed conferences. Masouda’s academic accomplishments include earning a Ph.D. in Commerce and Business from Mangalore University, India, where her research focused on the challenges of microfinance in empowering Muslim women. She also holds an MSc in Accounting and Finance from the University of Sussex, UK, and an MBA from Osmania University, India. A multilingual professional fluent in English, Dari, Hindi, and Urdu, Masouda utilizes her diverse cultural and linguistic skills to engage cross-cultural teams and communities. Her expertise spans research methodologies, curriculum development, educational framework design, and project management. Driven by a passion for dialogue-based and culturally inclusive education, Masouda aims to contribute to transformative projects that advance sustainable development, empower marginalized communities, and enrich educational practices, particularly in Muslim contexts.
Dr Gurpreet Kaur
Gender Justice and Climate Change Lead
Dr. Gurpreet Kaur is a global women’s rights expert. She received her B.A. (Hons) and M.A. degrees from the National University of Singapore and has a Ph.D. in Gender and Postcolonial Ecofeminism in Literature from the University of Warwick. She is an endometriosis survivor and was on a wheelchair for five years. Her interest in pursuing international law and policy towards justice was cemented during these years as she experienced first-hand through disability and gender bias that disempowerment can take various forms and shapes. She finished pursuing international human rights law at SOAS in 2022 In bringing all the different strands together, Gurpreet is presently working on climate justice and the politics of rights through an intersectional lens and passionately advocates for gender equality. She now also raises awareness on endometriosis and disability, and the disproportionate impact it can have on women’s careers and life opportunities. More recently, she has been using her life experiences in exploring the interconnectedness of climate justice and sexual, reproductive and health rights. She has been shortlisted for the UN Women UK award for outstanding contributions to gender equality and was also on the Climate Action Network UK’s steering committee for inclusion and human rights. In her free time, Gurpreet can be found watching Netflix, writing and travelling.
Reza Ehsan
Humanitarian Aid Program Lead
Mohmmad Reza Ehsan is currently a final year Ph.D. research scholar at the Department of Economics, South Asian University, New Delhi. His Main research interests are Development Economics, Rural Development, Rural livelihoods, war and development, Agriculture, and migration. He completed his MA in Development Economics from the same university. He has worked with various international NGOs and organisations. He has written multiple op-ed pieces on Covid-19, migration, Labour, and economic issues. He is co-founder of The Discourse South Asia, an online platform covering South Asia.
Farzana Adel
Gender- based Violence Lead
Farzana is a distinguished Gender Studies researcher and a passionate advocate for women’s rights. She established the Gender Equality Research Organization in Afghanistan (GEROA) to advance gender equality and champion women’s rights within the region. Currently, Farzana serves as a member of the Core Advisory Group for the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) in Canada. In this role, she co-strategies and advocates for a strong, inclusive feminist funding ecosystem in South Asia. Additionally, she contributes to research on Afghan migrants through the Global Diversity and Inequality Research Centre (GDIRC) at London Metropolitan University. Farzana also holds a senior research position at ASPIRE, a leading UK-based consultancy firm specializing in expert research and consultancy services. Over the years, she has actively collaborated with both local and international organisations, driving women& capacity-building projects in Afghanistan since 2005. Her extensive experience includes serving as Chief of Staff to the Senior Advisor to the President of Afghanistan on United Nations Affairs. Farzana’s academic credentials include an MBA from Cardiff Metropolitan University and an MA in Women and Child Abuse from London Metropolitan University. Her dissertation, “Domestic Abuse Experienced by Afghan Women Living in the UK,” underscores her commitment to addressing pressing issues affecting women and children. Her research articles have been widely published in international journals, contributing significantly to global conversations on gender equality. Farzana Adell continues to inspire and shape the landscape of women rights, leaving an indelible mark both in Afghanistan and on the global stage
Arzo Aminie
Women Reproductive Health Lead
Arzo Aminie is a former Human Rights officer with UNAMA in Afghanistan. She worked in five critical thematic areas: discrimination and violence against Women, child protection, peace and Reconciliation, conflict-Related detainees, and Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. She also attended training in San Remo, London, and Geneva on International humanitarian law, peace support operations, and advanced mediation and peace-making in complex, challenging, and intractable conflicts.
Her work with the United Nations led her to acquire substantial expertise on the implementation of human rights law, laws condemning violence against women, and sharia law. Her experiences during this time enabled her to understand how the law affects every citizen in the world and how the law can be abused, leading to human rights violations and discrimination. She is committed to playing a role in challenging legal abuses and human rights violations.
In addition to her work with the UN, she also worked with the governmental sector in areas such as women’s affairs, as well as institutions such as the national security department, provincial courts, and prosecution offices. Arzo also has extensive experience in the monitoring of detention centres and prisons. She has gained expertise in interviewing security-related detainees and prisoners as well as perpetrators of gender-based violence, including investigating and monitoring under-age girls detained in juvenile rehabilitation centres.
Arzo has firsthand experience interviewing women’s suffering from PTSD from working as a midwife researcher. When she moved to England, she started to work as an asylum and refugee advisor with RMC (Refugee and Migrant Help Centre in Birmingham), and she currently assists clients with interpretation and translation. She has a degree in midwifery from Ghazanfar Institute of Health Science Kabul, Afghanistan and a Law and Criminology Certificate from Birmingham Metropolitan College, UK.
Adriana Zobrist Galad
Human Resources Lead
Mohammad Fazal
Operation and Finance Lead
Mohammad Fazal Khaksar holds an MBA in Financial Management, equipping him with a strong foundation in corporate finance, investment analysis, and financial planning. With over 15 years of experience working with international organizations such as UNDP, UNOPS and USAID/DAI, he has developed expertise in financial strategy, budgeting, and risk management. Throughout his career, Mr. Khaksar has successfully led various financial projects and initiatives, collaborating with diverse teams to drive organizational growth and improve financial performance. His extensive background in multinational environments has honed his ability to navigate complex financial landscapes and ensure compliance with global standards.
Nisar Talash
Administrator
Nisar Talash is a part time student of Engineering at the University of West of London. He is an excellent administrator with outstanding communication skills in Dari, Pashto, and English. He is responsive and actively engages with clients to coordinate their matters with our researchers and wider staff.
Sakshi Gupta
Communication Lead
Sakshi is a sociology student at LSE (London School of Economics), University of London, and a communications team member, where she supports advocacy efforts through strategic messaging and outreach. With a background in social research and experience in women’s and labour rights, she is passionate about amplifying marginalised voices and driving social change from the grassroots level.
Lima Haqpal
Communication Assistant
Lima is a gap year student with a passion for social justice and human rights, particularly focused on advancing the rights of Afghan women. She is Currently working as a member of the communications team dedicated to promoting gender equality and empowering women.
With plans to pursue a law degree next year, Lima is committed to creating meaningful change for marginalized communities and contributing to the global fight for women’s rights.
