About Me

{Charani Patabendige is an Acting Research Analyst and a Research Assistant at the Institute of National Security Studies the premier think tank established and functioning under the Ministry of Defence. With a strong academic and professional background in national security and law, she is currently pursuing, an MPhil/PhD in Law and the completion stage of a Masters in Conflict and Peace Studies from the University of Colombo. She possesses a Bachelor of Laws degree from the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University with a second class. She has also obtained a distinction pass in the Advanced Diploma in Transitional Justice, a program conducted by the Bandaranaike Center for International Studies. She served as a committee member tasked with reviewing and finalizing Sri Lanka's National Defence Policy. She has contributed to international dialogues on security issues, representing Sri Lanka at the 'International Scientific-Practical Conference on Regional Security in Asia in the Context of Preventing New Challenges and Threats,' organized by the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Charani is also a Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA) Alumnus, participating in the "NESA- AFRICOM Workshop Series: Changing Nature of Security, Transnational Threats Know No Boundaries" in Bangkok, Thailand. She has also expanded her knowledge by attending the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA) Climate Change and Security Senior Executive Seminar conducted by NESA Washington, DC, and participating in the Women, Peace and Security Round Table by invitation both in virtual format. Charani serves as an Honorary Associate Research Fellow and is an active member of the National Authority to Prevent Violent Extremism. She has also served as a guest speaker at security forums multiple times. She is dedicated to women's empowerment and political participation where she is an active member in the Women's Association. Her research focus includes critical areas such as criminal justice, disinformation, hate speech, human rights, and national security, as evidenced by her numerous international and}