Born in 1970 in Jaghori District, Ghazni Province, Dr Najafi began his education in Afghanistan but continued his studies in Pakistan and Iran due to the Soviet invasion. He earned a medical degree from the University of Balochistan in 1996 and an MPA from Indira Gandhi National Open University in Delhi. In exile, he co-founded schools and civil society networks for Afghan refugees and led initiatives promoting human rights, education, and international justice.
Dr Najafi joined the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in 2002, worked with the Joint Election Management Body (JEMB), and became Director of the Independent Election Commission Secretariat, managing multiple national elections. From 2010 to 2014, he served as Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation.
At the Centre for Transitional Peace, Dr Najafi oversees work on electoral integrity, political participation, and governance transition. He speaks Persian, Pashto, and English.
