Berkley Center

Palwasha L. Kakar was the director of the Religion and Inclusive Societies program at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) and is a member of the Strategic Religious Engagement Hub Advisory Board, an initiative hosted by the Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. She has more than 15 years of experience advancing peacebuilding and inclusive governance in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and South Asia. At USIP, she led global initiatives that engage religious leaders, policymakers, and civil society to address conflict, strengthen resilience, and promote women’s participation in peace processes. Prior to joining USIP, she directed women’s empowerment and development programs for the Asia Foundation in Afghanistan and advised on governance and gender with the United Nations and other international organizations. Kakar brings academic training in religion, politics, and gender from Harvard Divinity School, along with deep field experience working with communities across diverse contexts. Fluent in English, Pashto, and Dari, she is widely recognized for bridging cultural and religious perspectives to foster dialogue, inclusion, and peaceful change.