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Najiba Leima Kasraee is a British-Afghan journalist and editor of languages for the BBC Academy. She is also well known in Afghanistan as a presenter on BBC Afghan's Pashto service, where she often raises issues that affect women in Afghanistan.

Kasaree is an editor for a number of different BBC language sites including Arabic, Persian, Russian and Pashto.

18 in total at the moment and due to increase to 23, provide reference and information on essential editorial values, impartial broadcast language and production skills support for the BBC journalist in London and around the world. In the past nine years I have worked with every single language in the BBC WS, collaborating closely with the editors, broadcast/production journalists and our reporters and contributors around the world. This is the first ever set of online training material for BBC World Service language colleagues in their own languages. I am very proud to say that these sites have often been viewed by partners and even competitors as most valuable in helping set standards of production.

I have in-depth knowledge of each World Service language service, with a good grasp of their strength and challenges. Over the years, I have worked very closely with World Service business development, seeking and helping build opportunities for the BBC to engage with our strategic partners. One good example in this respect is the engagement with China Radio International, resulted in a long term training request from the BBC for their senior management.

I have worked in the BBC for 25 years during which I have a track record of successfully working as editor, presenter and producer for TV, radio and online in several World Service language departments as well as World Service English Newsroom. I have worked as duty editor on breaking news programmes during international crises, eg: 9/11, fall of Taliban and the fall of Saddam.

In addition to newsroom production, I have done much frontline work, having interviewed world leaders such as Dick Cheney, Tony Blair (in 10 Downing Street), Ban Ki-moon and Karzai. The one that impressed me most was the interview I conducted face to face inside Afghanistan with a senior Taliban commander just after fall of Kabul. It is most rare, to say the least.

I am fluent in Pashto, Persian (Farsi), English and Russian. I also speak Hind and Urdu.

Interest and hobbies

I am passionate about writing stories, in particular, short stories for children between the ages of 7 and 12. I am currently working on the publication of my latest story book. I see similarity between telling stories and doing a good news report: both require skill, thoughts and planning in order to be able to carry the storyline through to the audience.

Another abiding interest of mine is to master languages and be able to use them with perfect intonation and accent. I believe that a language can open doors to new cultures; a thorough grasp of the language accompanied by a perfect accent can help reach people’s hearts.

I am also honorary board member for the London-based Afghan Voice Radio. I run voluntary Saturday classes on storytelling and original journalism as well as a career development programme for women and young journalists.

Outside of work, I enjoy regular visits to the fitness club.