Negina Khalili

Negina Khalili is the Director of the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) and a Visiting scholar. Negina is human rights activist specializing in gender justice, women's rights, and judicial reform in Afghanistan

As the former Chief Prosecutor for Violence Against Women in Afghanistan's Attorney General's Office (AGO) she led groundbreaking work enforcing the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law and prosecuting gender-based crimes. Negina was also the first female prosecutor in Ghor Province, where she grew up, and investigated gender base violence case and marking a historic milestone for women in Afghanistan’s justice sector.

In addition to her prosecutorial work, Negina also served as a Law professor in Rana University and Fanoos University in Afghanistan, teaching courses on human rights, Gender, Criminal Law and strengthening the next generation of legal professionals committed to justice and equality.

She earned her law degree from Herat University of Afghanistan and received her Master of Laws (LLM) in Rule of Law and Good Governance from Ohio Northern University in the United States. She has participated in many international legal training programs and conferences. Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Negina was forced to flee her homeland due to grave security threats against women legal professionals. She joined Loyola University New Orleans where she continues her advocacy for gender equality and human rights. A Loyola University New Orleans LLM graduate and Hearat University of Afghanistan law alumna, Negina combines academic excellence with frontline legal experience.

Negina’s professional interests include the promotion of women’s rights, good governance, gender equality, the elimination of violence against women, women’s leadership, peace and security, and legal reform in Afghanistan. Throughout her career, she has been recognized with numerous awards and honors for her unwavering commitment to justice, human rights, and empowering Afghan women.Despite the challenges of displacement, she remains a leading voice for judicial sectors and women's rights.