Mrs. Harini Fernando is a gender and development specialist with extensive experience in research, policy engagement, and programme implementation in Sri Lanka’s development sector. She currently serves as Team Leader – Gender and Development at the Centre for Poverty Analysis, where she leads research and policy analysis on gender equality and social inclusion, while integrating gender perspectives across a range of thematic areas.

Prior to joining CEPA, Harini worked with the World Food Programme as Programme Associate – Gender and Protection, where she contributed to gender-responsive programming, vulnerability assessments, and capacity-building initiatives on gender, protection, and inclusion. She has also held roles with the International Research Exchanges Board and the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka, focusing on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), advocacy strategy development, and research on issues such as gender-based violence, menstrual health, reproductive rights and gender and media.

Harini’s professional experience spans research, advocacy, programme management, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement, working closely with international donors, civil society organizations, and media institutions. She has led and contributed to research projects, policy briefs, and training programmes on gender, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

She is currently reading for her master’s degree in Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Colombo and holds a Graduate Diploma in Public Policy from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, where she was a Li Ka Shing Scholar. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in International Relations from the University of Colombo.

Areas of interest: SRHR, gender and media, women’s political participation, gender and climate change, care economy, female labour force participation