Dharini has over ten years’ experience in international development and cooperation, working with a broad range of stakeholders from the grassroots to government level in several countries across Africa, South Asia, Europe and North America. She has worked for international organizations including UNICEF and the European Commission, research and policy institutes including ODI, and local and national NGOs.

Dharini has extensive experience in research, policy analysis, project management and program development in gender equality and social inclusion and has developed and reviewed key gender policies and strategies, including conceptual frameworks and gender action plans at the institutional and operational levels. She has also facilitated trainings on gender and inclusion principles and mainstreaming for a range of stakeholders. She has supported local partner organizations in sub-Saharan Africa in developing, implementing and monitoring gender transformative programming with a focus on women’s economic empowerment, women’s and girls’ leadership and the elimination of gender-based violence.

Dharini has an MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London.