Kavita Kalsi is a Senior Technical Specialist at SDDirect. She leads our work across the Digital thematic area and is a researcher in women’s economic empowerment. She has 12 years’ experience in the international development and humanitarian sector, with in-country experience in India, Nepal, Afghanistan and the Philippines.
As part of her leadership of Digital, Kavita provides technical input on gender and social inclusion to FCDO’s flagship Digital Access Programme in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Brazil and Indonesia. This includes advising on projects that tackle online gender-based violence, strengthen digital rights such as freedom of expression online, and reduce harms experienced by teenagers online. In addition, she is responsible for driving business development for our Digital portfolio.
Kavita is also a researcher on FCDO’s Work and Opportunities for Women Helpdesk, for which she has led research into women’s economic opportunities in Côte d’Ivoire, the opportunities and risks of new technologies for women’s livelihoods, and an in-depth review of how to measure women’s economic empowerment.
Kavita has a BA in Italian and an MSc in International Public Policy, both from University College London. Prior to joining SDDirect, she worked as a project manager for CARE International UK, as an advocacy advisor on women, peace and security for the International Rescue Committee Belgium, as a policy briefings coordinator for the European Commission Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, and as a sales rep for Devex. She has also worked for a small community-based organisation in Mumbai which supports women from marginalised communities to train as leaders to address local issues using an insider-led approach. Before joining the development sector, she worked in sales roles in China, Italy and Germany.
Kavita speaks French, Italian and Spanish. Outside of work, she enjoys learning and speaking foreign languages, debating politics and current affairs, and Latin dancing.
