Yolanda Foster is an independent expert on South Asia with a special interest in Sri Lanka. Her key areas of expertise include human rights monitoring; presenting evidence before regional and global human rights bodies and training human rights defenders.
Prior to joining the LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security, Yolanda worked with the South Asia team at Amnesty International. She has led transnational campaigns for justice including advocating for an independent investigation into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka. In Nepal she influences networks for change including women’s groups lobbying donors on gender protection.
As part of her engagement with the UN Special Procedures she has enabled women human rights defenders to give testimony. Investigations in India include highlighting sexual violence against Dalits and tribal women. Her current interest is supporting a feminist agenda for transitional justice in Sri Lanka and Nepal including advocating for women to have effective access to truth, justice and reparations.
Yolanda’s interest in peace-building involved identifying relevant civil society partners for the inaugural NonViolent Peaceforce field presence in Sri Lanka. Work on democracy and participation in post conflict societies includes election monitoring with the Office for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Her role as an independent supervisor for elections in Serbia and experience of protective accompaniment with Peace Brigades International has involved collaboration with a range of stakeholders including civil society organisations, legal professionals and local government bodies.
Yolanda received her Doctorate from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
Selected publications