Harshani Dharmadasa
About Harshani Dharmadasa
Harshani Dharmadasa serves as the Senior Director of Global Partnerships and Initiatives at the United Nations Foundation, where she has worked since 2022. With extensive experience in international law and social protection, she has held various roles in organizations such as UN Women, BRAC USA, and the Open Society Foundations.
Work at United Nations Foundation
Harshani Dharmadasa has served as the Senior Director for Global Partnerships and Initiatives at the United Nations Foundation since 2022. In this role, she focuses on building coalitions with youth-led and youth-focused organizations to support UN efforts aimed at future generations. Dharmadasa acts as the primary focal point for developing programmatic initiatives in collaboration with UN and other partners, concentrating on sustainable development goals (SDGs), COVID-19 response, and recovery efforts.
Previous Experience in Global Organizations
Prior to her current position, Dharmadasa held various roles in notable organizations. She worked as a Litigation Fellow at Open Society Foundations from 2013 to 2014 and served as a Gender and Constitutional Law Consultant at UN Women from 2014 to 2015. Dharmadasa was also a Social Protection Advisor for the Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative at BRAC USA from 2015 to 2018. Additionally, she worked at the Center on International Cooperation as Deputy Pathfinders Director from 2018 to 2022.
Legal and Human Rights Background
Dharmadasa has a strong legal background, having worked as a Legal Aid Officer at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Australia from 2006 to 2009. She also served as a Junior Project Officer for the UN Democracy Fund from 2009 to 2010 and as a Senior Research Officer for the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health at the United Nations from 2012 to 2013. Her experience includes consulting roles, such as Program Consultant at ESCR-Net from 2011 to 2012.
Educational Qualifications
Harshani Dharmadasa holds an LLM in International and Comparative Law from The George Washington University, which she completed from 2010 to 2011. She also earned dual Bachelor degrees in Law and International Relations with Honors from Monash University, studying from 2004 to 2009. Her educational background provides a strong foundation for her work in international law and human rights.
Focus on Sustainable Development and Poverty Alleviation
In her current role and previous positions, Dharmadasa has collaborated with civil society, research institutions, and multilateral partners to address issues of extreme poverty. She supports initiatives like the multi-stakeholder Last Mile Alliance, which aims to tackle poverty and promote sustainable development. Her work emphasizes the importance of partnerships in achieving global development goals.