People

Ermiza Tegal is an Attorney-at-Law and human rights activist based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Over the past 20 years, she has advocated for advances across a wide range of civil and political rights in Sri Lanka. Her work encompasses addressing gender-based violence, ensuring civil liberty protections in counter terror responses, ensuring minority rights, defending rights and protection for victims of torture, promoting people-centred land policy and the securing freedom of assembly and expression of non-governmental civil society organizations.

With 15 years at the Bar, Ermiza leads a chamber specializing in public law and family law. Her practice engages with issues of constitutional law and administrative law, and largely involves representation for victims of discrimination, torture, arbitrary arrest and domestic violence.

Ermiza is a co-founder of Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) which works for Muslim family law reforms. She also currently serves of the governing boards of Women Resource Centre (WRC), Kurunegala and Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF). Ermiza currently serves as a legal expert on governmental advisory committees on Muslim law reform and Family law reform in Sri Lanka.

Ermiza has a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London and Master of Laws from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London with a specialization in Law, Governance and Development.

Her publications include “Inside the Quazi Courts of Sri Lanka”, Failing Women Everyday: Legal Protection for Domestic Violence Victims in Sri Lanka”, “Towards Understanding Female Genital Cutting in Sri Lanka”, “Exposed and Alone: Torture Survivors in Sri Lanka bear the burden of their own protection” and “Prevention of Terrorism Act, Rule of Law and Human Security”.