Lilian Sibanda

Lilian Sibanda is a PhD candidate in Global Governance and Human Security at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research focuses on global agenda-setting, international organizations, and how international development goals are translated into national and local policy priorities. Her dissertation examines how the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is adapted and implemented across governance levels within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. She is a 2024–2026 Adam Smith Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, a 2025 Global Citizen Seminar participant at the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue, and a 2023 Civic Action Project Fellow. Her research is guided by the view that the process of translating global goals into local action is as important as the goals themselves. She believes that understanding the politics of policy translation and improving translation processes can ultimately strengthen development outcomes at the local level.