Natasha Dandavati

Natasha Dandavati is a Legal Advisor for ICNL’s Asia & the Pacific program focused on expanding and safeguarding civic space and public participation across the region. Her research and expertise center around litigation, human rights advocacy, and the protection of women’s and children’s human rights.

Prior to joining ICNL, Natasha worked as an advocacy officer and head of campaigns for Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) in Malaysia, driving research and policy advocacy related to gender-based violence and discrimination. On behalf of WAO, Natasha engaged with and led coalitions to amplify advocacy efforts and build the capacity of organizations and communities on the ground to utilize international human rights standards and mechanisms, including by reporting under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), as well as the Universal Periodic Review process. Natasha also provided technical assistance to government officials, parliamentarians, and Malaysia’s national human rights institution to advance legislative and policy reform. She has authored publications on domestic violence and the principle of transformative equality under the CEDAW.

Before WAO, Natasha practiced civil litigation for three years in California. Natasha received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the University of California, Berkeley.