Ms Shritha Vasudevan

Biography

I am a PhD researcher in Politics and International Relations at the School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), and a recipient of the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.

My research sits at the intersection of international relations, international human rights law, feminist theory and gender-based violence. My doctoral dissertation examines the resonance of Article 5(a) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Tamil Nadu, India. Specifically, I investigate the relationship between Brahmanical patriarchy, historical restrictions on female sexuality and contemporary honour-based killings, drawing on theories of norm resonance and path dependence.

My broader research interests include international norm diffusion, harmful cultural practices, women's human rights, feminist approaches to international relations and the implementation of international legal obligations within domestic political and institutional contexts.

I hold a BA LLB (Hons) from NALSAR University of Law, an LLM from the University of Illinois, an MA in Women and Gender Studies from the University of Louisville, an MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and an MA in Political Science from the University of Florida.

Alongside my doctoral research, I am the founder and Managing Director of An Australian South Asian Initiative to Eliminate Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Ltd, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing regional policy dialogue and institutional responses to gender-based violence in South Asia. My current policy interests include exploring the feasibility of a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) due diligence mechanism on gender-based violence.

My academic and policy work seeks to contribute to interdisciplinary conversations on the relationship between international human rights norms, gendered social practices and institutional accountability.