Tulika Srivastava

Tulika Srivastava’s experience brings together working with rural women at the very grassroots, as well as undertaking litigation for individuals and groups of individuals; with negotiating international procedural treaties, and supporting implementation of substantive treaties. At present she brings a political lens to understanding power and resources, particularly in the context of shrinking civil spaces and organizing for women and trans* human rights are concerned.

An interesting part of Tulika’s abilities is also her willingness to step back from positions of leadership, to enable an institutional process of growth and expansion beyond individuals and power “camps”.

Her work spans local to global realities, and her capacities include working in a range of contexts. Her positioning is global and Asian, which enables a wide yet deep perspective in bringing together a range of diverse perspectives, amplifying a regional voice and movements for rights.

As the Executive Director of Women’s Fund Asia, since 2010, she has strategic positioning in understanding and moving resources to support human rights work in the region, through the leadership of women and trans* people. As the Co-Chair of Prospera-the International Network of Women’s Funds, she identifies and carries forward the mandate of the network that resources for social justice are also political and women and trans* people have a claim on a basis of equality and non-discrimination.

She has also served as the Executive Director of IWRAW Asia-Pacific, an organization committed to realization of women’s human rights through the lens of CEDAW. As part of the network, Tulika was part of the negotiations for OP to CEDAW, ICC as well as OP to ICESCR. She was member of the Program Management team in implementing the IWRAW AP “Global to Local” Initiative, that enables civil society actors to engage with the CEDAW during the constructive dialogue with their countries.

Her work began as a litigator in primary and High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench; from which she moved to working with rural women in Uttar Pradesh through a government programme Mahila Samakhya. She then was part of forming the first feminist advocacy center in UP- AALI, (Association for Advocacy and Legal Initiatives), which reframed the honor crimes discourse as the Right to choose and decision making. She worked as the head of the organization for 8 years, before stepping back from the leadership.