Sonal Dhanani is a gender justice advocate, peacebuilder, and mental health practitioner based in Pakistan, with over a decade of experience designing intersectional programs that focus on healing, equity, and social cohesion. She is the founder of Parindey, a social enterprise that builds resilient communities through creative, trauma-informed approaches to gender equity, peacebuilding, and mental health. Her work has reached over 8,000 individuals across urban and conflict-affected regions, amplifying local voices through storytelling, civic engagement and feminist dialogue.

Sonal was appointed as a member of Pakistan’s first National Youth Council, where she contributed to national youth policy reform and led initiatives on gender inclusion and civic engagement. Her cross-border work involves training peacebuilders and engaging displaced communities through culturally sensitive interventions, particularly in fragile settings like Afghanistan and post-disaster zones in Pakistan. As a strong advocate for arts-based civic engagement, Sonal has led literary and cultural events that harness storytelling and collective memory as tools for peace and social cohesion.

She completed the Public Narrative Executive Leadership Program at Harvard Kennedy School and holds advanced diplomas in gender studies and peace and conflict resolution from the University of Iceland and Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, respectively.

As an AsiaGlobal Fellow, her research explored how peace education and mental health interventions can be integrated into youth leadership initiatives to foster resilience against extremism and social conflict.