Haneen
Khalid

Obama Foundation Scholar, University of Chicago

Haneen recently completed her master’s in international development and policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and is currently an Obama Foundation Scholar. As a former aide at the National Assembly of Pakistan, she supported over 80 women parliamentarians to help inform better policy and legislation, particularly on social justice, security, and climate issues. Haneen also built and led the only region-wide grassroots movement for nuclear nonproliferation in South Asia, working with thousands of young people in Pakistan and India to promote peace, a world safe from nuclear weapons, and the role of women in breaking stereotypes and barriers in the security landscape. As part of that effort, she helped develop a first-of-its-kind campaign strategy and volunteer recruitment, leadership, and training program to bring the movement to local communities in innovative ways and develop new activists and leaders to continue the effort. Currently, Haneen is doing editorial, communications, and policy consulting to support the international nuclear policy community.

I am most excited to work on projects that… directly impact peace and security for communities that are underrepresented in the field.

I am looking for partners who can help me… think about human security in new and innovative ways, support my coding efforts, and help work toward a world safe from nuclear weapons.

A moment when I felt most inspired in my work was… watching young activists, particularly women, step up to the leadership table; watching them see how powerful their work is and commit to serving in bigger and brighter ways; and knowing I had a hand in their process. I couldn’t ask for a greater reward. 

Innovations in my field that I am most excited to work on… include those at intersection of nuclear and cyber security, ways to include and train new voices in the field, and new discourse emerging about building human security in ways that are not centered around nationalism. I believe our upcoming challenges—including climate, nuclear, and pandemic-related issues—are global in nature and require thinking as a human family. I am excited to learn more about this.

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