Nazneen Kanji joined the INTRAC board in 2011. She is director of the Quality of Life Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Support Unit at the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Prior to taking up this position, she led an AKDN research programme to assess the quality of life of people living in selected regions in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Syria, Mali and Mozambique.
Nazneen is a social policy specialist who worked with the government of Mozambique throughout the 1980s. She moved into policy research, teaching and consultancy after completing a PhD at the London School of Economics (LSE). She has carried out field research in various Sub-Saharan African countries and in South and Central Asia, including work with many NGOs. Her main research is related to wellbeing and livelihoods, taking into account gender and generational difference.
She has taught at the LSE and worked at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). She has served as a consultant for agencies including the UK Department for International Development, UN-Habitat, and CARE International. Recent publications include ‘One size does not fit all: Choosing methods to inform area development’ (Development in Practice, 2013) and ‘Improving quality of life in remote mountain communities’ (Mountain Research and Development, 2012).