My research is aimed at enhancing the rights of women and children around the world. Too often the work of academics is not tailored to address pressing policy concerns of the day and when it is, not accessible to policymakers. My goal is to be a bridge between academia and policy. For example, I worked on a project to advance the right to education in Colombia. In partnership with several organizations, we filed an amicus brief (a legal brief used to advise the court by offering facts, analysis, or a new perspective that hasn’t already been presented), which eventually led to the Colombian constitutional court declaring that the government must provide free primary education to its citizens.

My research conducted with law students at the International Human Rights Policy Advocacy Clinic also regularly informs policymakers on how laws can better protect women’s rights. For example, we conducted a three-country comparative research study on acid attacks in India, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. (An acid attack occurs when a person throws acid at another person often disfiguring the victim’s face and other body parts). Our research helped raise awareness the underlying causes of these attacks, the consequences, and the barriers victims face in seeking justice. The findings of our study were submitted to the Cambodian government and we were asked to review and comment upon Cambodia’s proposed law to curb acid attacks.

Another research study we undertook, involved interviewing women in the United States and India on issues related to surrogate motherhood. To inform policy development, we presented our findings and recommendations on providing appropriate protections for surrogates and children to the New York State legislature and the Indian Parliament.