Ms Visaka Dharmadasa

Visaka Dharmadasa Founder Chair of Association of War Affected Women & Parents of Servicemen Missing in Action, struggling to end the civil war, she was able to bring women together across the divide to work for peace. She was awarded the prestigious Humanitarian award for 2006 by Interaction of Washington DC. she was nominated for a collective Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She was a team member of special rapporteur to investigate the violence and the ceasefire violations and Consultation Taskforce on Reconciliation Mechanisms of Sri Lanka. She is a member of Women Waging Peace, Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership, Resolution to Act, Global Network of Women Peace builders, Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth. She is the gender focal point for GPPAC in Sri Lanka and former member of the Civil Society Advisory Group of UN Women. She holds degrees in negotiations and mediation skills and in women and security from Harvard.