Arshia Chand

Arshia Chand hails from Karachi, Pakistan, and is a development professional working on the sexual and reproductive health rights of rural youth.

She completed her undergraduate degree in social development and policy and began her career with a World Bank-funded initiative at Deaf Reach Pakistan, where she contributed to the development of Pakistan's first distant learning sign language curriculum for deaf students. Her subsequent role was for a speech and hearing project supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at the Rural Support Programmes Network in Pakistan, and it involved her monitoring, evaluating, engaging with the community and empowering youth.

Arshia is passionate about serving underserved communities, especially girls and youth in rural areas. At GHD, she seeks to exchange experiences and learn from global development experts and peers to enhance her understanding of creating context-specific and integrated programs in the Global South. Arshia believes that there is a gap in program planning and implementation, and aims to contribute to bridging this divide.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Arshia believes in enjoying life and her own freedom, traveling the world and nurturing a community around herself. She loves folk stories and learning about diverse cultures and celebrating the richness they offer.

Arshia believes that every girl and every child deserves the same opportunities she has been fortunate enough to receive, and she is committed to creating pathways for them to succeed. She aims to use her experiences and education to promote inclusive development practices that empower marginalized communities globally.

Summer internship

Arshia spent the summer interning at two organizations, both of which gave her valuable opportunities to grow and build on her previous experiences.

At the World Bank, she joined the Social Protection and Jobs (SPJ) Delivery Systems Global Solutions Group (GSG), which works with over 200 affiliated members worldwide to generate and share knowledge on the effective design and implementation of delivery systems. In this role, Arshia contributed by conducting portfolio reviews and exploring innovative areas such as the use of AI in service delivery and assessment tools like SPARKS.

She also interned with the Behavioral Insights Team in New York, a global research and innovation consultancy that applies behavioral science to improve people’s lives. Working with the Methods Team, she focused on data analysis to support behavioral policy projects.

Working across Washington DC and New York with two outstanding organizations was a truly rewarding experience, one that combined hands-on learning with the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from inspiring people from across the world.