About

Aafreen recently joined the Regional Innovation Centre, Bangkok Regional Hub as Regional Engagement Lead (Government Innovation). She is from Mumbai (India), where she was UNDP India?s State Focal Point for Maharashtra and also led IKEA Foundation funded Disha Project in the State. Aafreen has been with UNDP India for the past 6 years playing programming, policy and partnership roles for Inclusive Growth Pillar, before which she worked for the Government of Maharashtra as Project Officer with multiple departments.

With more than 10 years? policy and programming experience of handling diverse thematic sectors, Aafreen has been an active contributor on various government committees in Maharashtra including establishment of Institute of Policy Research, State Innovation Society etc. and has been a member of six policy drafting committees including the National Capacity Building Framework on Elected Women Representative and State?s Employment Exchange Policy. She has co-authored UNDP India and World Bank Group?s report on Gender, Water and Agriculture in Maharashtra (2019), contributed to World Bank?s Annual Report on ?Local innovations for global water security?, IDH?s research- ?Business case for gender mainstreaming in cotton in Maharashtra? and has recently joined the community of bloggers within UNDP contributing to blogs on NextGenGov, Accelerator Lab India and HoneyBee Network, Futures and Peer to Peer production.

Aafreen has a Masters in Political Science, is a Ted Speaker, honored as Government of India and Twitter?s Web WonderWomen 2019 for driving social reforms via social media, mentor to 2 Atal Incubation Centres and advisor on the board of SNDT Women?s University- Asia?s first women?s university.