For the past 20 years the Association of War Affected Women has been working on sustainable peace building in Sri Lanka. In order to achieve this goal it works with many stakeholders throughout the country and beyond, with women, men and youth of the country in all districts to reform many issues such as human rights, governance and democracy as well conflict transformation and peace building.Also AWAW works extensively on UNSCR 1325 and have had many workshops for women politicians on power sharing throughout the country for urban and grass root level women leaders and politicians.

Phone – +94 81 222 4098

Fax     – +94 81 222 4312

Email  –  visaka@awawsl.org

Visaka Dharmadasa is the founder and Chair of Association of War Affected Women and Parents of Servicemen Missing in Action, Struggling to end the civil war, she was able to bring women together across the conflict lines to work for peace.

Ms Dharmadasa educates soldiers and community leaders about international standards of conduct of war specifically to raise awareness about the importance of soldier’s identification tags and treatment to prisoners of war. She also work on disseminating the content of UN resolution 1325 on women peace and security, calling for the inclusion of women at all levels of peace building and decision making.

She also trains women to run to political office and also on power sharing.

She was awarded the prestigious Humanitarian award for 2006 by the Inter Action of Washington DC, an NGO consortium comprises of 160 non governmental organizations. In coordination with the “1000 Peace women across the globe” movement, she was nominated for a collective Nobel Peace
Prize in 2005. Also a team member of the team of special rapporteur to look in to the violence in north and east of Sri Lanka and the ceasefire violations by the Human Rights commission of Sri Lanka she is also a network member of Inclusive Security Women Waging Peace, and a member of the expert pool of Resolution to Act, as well of the global advisory council of Women thrive World
Wide, a member of Global Network of Women Peace builders and Director of
the board of of National Peace Council and PAFFREL Sri Lanka.

She is currently a member of the Civil Society Advisory Group of UN Women for the region. Visaka Dharmadasa holds a degree in negotiations and mediation skills from the United States Institute for Peace, Washington, and in women and security from Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.

Address – No. 9 Riverdale Road, Anniewatte, Kandy

Office Hours – 9.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. all 5 weekdays