Anita is a development and multimedia communications specialist, with expertise in organisational development, analysis and formulation of policy, planning and advocacy.

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She has worked with national, regional and international institutions, government agencies, civil society organisations, the UN System and formal and informal networks, based in the US and Italy. Since 1990, Anand has been based in India.

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From 1996-2000, she was a Member of a Committee to engender the Five-Year Plans of the Planning Commission of India. The Committee was successful in getting, for the first time, the term and concept of ‘Gender’ into the Five-Year Plans.

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Anita has been active in the design and implementation of many conferences and workshops. She has developed training modules and conducted training with media professionals, policy makers, leaders and staff of civil society organisations. The areas include gender perspectives, HIV/AIDS, drug control, human rights, violence against women, trafficking in women and children, sexual harassment in the workplace and advocacy and lobbing, among others. She had worked extensively in Afghanistan from 2004.

 

She is the author and co-author of several books. Her articles have appeared in mainstream media in India and overseas. Her most recent books are Kabul Blogs: May Days I the Life of Afghanistan and Cholo Kolkata, an illustrated book for young adults.

 

Anand has produced radio programmes and documentaries about women and children, reproductive health, women’s rights and human rights (at the UN Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993), family planning programmes in Thailand and women’s activities in India. The programmes have been aired on All India Radio and Door Darshan.

 

She enjoys writing, painting, baking, and gardening.

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Anand has degrees in Education and Communications from the University of Calcutta and Ohio University, USA. Her continuing education has been in leadership development and behavioural sciences.