Badi Zarate

I’m an urban planner committed to (and very passionate about) community capacity building, human rights, and gender equality.

I worked in government for 11 years in different institutions related to urban development and community strengthening, as well as serving as head of an office dedicated to promoting gender equality and human rights policies. This experience at different levels of government gave me an understanding of the dynamics of public administration, its motivations and interests, and the various ways government can become a real platform for social justice and community transformation.

In parallel with this experience, I’ve worked as a consultant for organizational development for a variety of NGOs and civil society organizations, as an advisor for different United Nations programs, and as a facilitator for KnowInnovation and the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank.

I hold a degree in urban planning from the University of Guadalajara, along with diplomas and certifications from different UN programs and academic institutions. In the realm of human rights, my area of expertise has mainly been in projects that promote the economic autonomy of women, the creation of enabling environments for equality in rural areas, the inclusion of migrant populations in host communities, support for companies and workplaces in integrating equality policies, and access for women to a life free of violence, among others. I’ve been recognized by various platforms for coordinating these projects and teams.