Farishta Sakhi, PhD

A native of Afghanistan, Farishta Sakhi began working with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) more than twenty years ago. In the mid-2000s, she co-founded a women’s rights NGO in Herat and has since consulted for several international organizations, including the World Bank, USAID, and the European Union. She previously served at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Director General and Senior Advisor for Peace and Security Affairs, and later as Deputy Chief of Party for Internews in Kabul. Farishta has also taught at the American University of Afghanistan.

Farishta holds a BA in Commerce from the University of Balochistan (Pakistan), an Executive MBA from Preston University, a master’s degree from Eastern Mennonite University, and a PhD from George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. She is a fellow at the International Center for Transitional Justice and the Rumsfeld Foundation and has been a leading advocate for democracy, human rights, and women’s rights in Afghanistan for over two decades.