In her role as Communications Coordinator, Simran Rawat supports the visibility of GDF’s work and that of the Global Environments Network within it. She also coordinates communications for the Alliance for Mediterranean Nature and Culture, in which GDF serves as the Communications Overarching Initiative.

She holds an M.Sc. in Social and Public Communication from the London School of Economics, wherein she focused on communication in the context of non-profits, community knowledge and women in leadership. She also has a B.A. in Journalism, with a minor in Political Science; in which she specialised in development communication and worked on projects related to gender equality and providing a platform to marginalised communities. She has also studied a short course in Management from UCL and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

For over 8 years, Simran has led her own non-profit organisation based in India, called A Cry For Help Foundation. ACFH is a charitable trust that helps adolescents with mental and sexual health related issues. During this time, Simran has worn many hats, managing ACFH’s media and communications, supervising employees and maintaining relationships with donors. However, her favourite role has been working closely with children, teachers and parents to create an environment where children can openly discuss topics often considered taboo in India.

Simran is also very passionate about gender equality, and has worked with women from marginalised communities on menstrual hygiene, financial literacy, breast cancer awareness, sanitation, environmental preservation and child marriage. She has also spoken about gender justice issues in several forums such as TEDx, the UN Memorial Hall, panel discussions, podcasts and summits.

Born on a farm, Simran loves the outdoors and believes in creating sustainable relationships with the Earth. Additionally, she enjoys all things creative and has been a painter since she was 12. She loves documenting everything through pictures, videos, sketches and paintings. Simran speaks English, Hindi, Punjabi and some French, and is working on improving the latter.