Ms. Raya Barazanji
Program Director
Ms. Barazanji is a program director for the Middle East and North Africa programs at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) focusing on Yemen and democratic transitions in the region. She has over 25 years of experience in the design and management of democracy, peacebuilding, human rights, and gender equality programs. Her career includes working with the Iraq Foundation, U.S. Institute of Peace, the Agha Khan Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Department of State, and as an instructor and curriculum designer of cultural exchange programs. She is an avid human rights and women’s rights activist and directs an initiative on justice and rights in Iraq. She holds a master’s degree in international law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, and a bachelor’s from the College of Arts, Al-Mustansiriyah University in Baghdad.
