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Experts on countries of origin by country

Anderson, Dr Danica

The Expert is a US-based international social scientist, researcher, and forensic counselor (criminal justice specialist) with a doctorate in clinical psychology. The Expert is a member of the UNESCO scientific and education CID council and of the International Criminal Court, a Psycho-social Victim Gender Expert for trauma with war crimes and war crimes survivors. She is a trauma clinician who has traveled the world bearing witness to―and researching how to heal transgenerational trauma and continues to make crisis responses while addressing the needs of immigrants and refugees during and in the aftermath of natural disasters and wars. Trauma response and social science and research fieldwork occurred in Afghanistan, Haiti, India, Sri Lanka, and many conflict-ridden regions and war regions.

The Expert's international trauma work occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa for the International Criminal Court and the United Nations World Food Program in Sudan. In former Yugoslavia, Bosnia Herzegovina, her study and clinically informed trauma for over two decades provided an archive of information on women's transgenerational trauma for war and war crimes survivors involving asylum and visas. The Expert worked with Mexico's National Human Rights, Mexico City, and the Mexican… Read more

Occupation: Social Scientist - Researcher-Trauma Expert
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Austria, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Republic of), Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia, South Korea, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uganda, United States of America

Daryn, Dr Gil

The Expert (Ph.D. Cambridge 2002, British Academy postdoctoral fellow 2003-6 at the School of Oriental and African Studies, The University of London) is a social anthropologist specializing in Nepal in particular and South Asia more generally. His acquaintance with South Asia spans over 31 years, including over ten years of researching and working in Nepal and over five years of living in India. While at SOAS, he taught an MA course on “The Anthropology of South Asia”. The Expert specializes in various aspects of Nepalese and other South Asian cultures and societies, including politics, kinship, gender, and religion. 

In recent years he has been asked to comment and advise to ACCORD (Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation), providing expert knowledge and answering specific questions on various aspects relating to Nepalese society. The Expert worked with many refugees and asylum seekers from various Asian countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar while he served as Associate Durable Solutions Office in UNHCR’s Kathmandu office, Nepal (2008-9). There, he became familiar with the RSD process and UNHCR country files, and held many focus group discussions and individual interviews with… Read more

Occupation: Social Anthropologist, Independent consultant (formerly of SOAS, University of London).
Countries of expertise: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Fair, Carol

The Expert is a Professor in the Security Studies Program within Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. She previously served as a senior political scientist with the RAND Corporation, a political officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan in Kabul, and a senior research associate at the United States Institute of Peace.  Her most recent book is In Their Own Words: Understanding Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (Hurst/Oxford University Press, 2018/2019).  She has authored, co-authored and co-edited several books, including Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army’s Way of War (Oxford University Press); Pakistan’s Enduring Challenges (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015), Policing Insurgencies: Cops as Counterinsurgents (Oxford University Press, 2014); Political Islam and Governance in Bangladesh (Routledge, 2010); Treading on Hallowed Ground: Counterinsurgency Operations in Sacred Spaces (Oxford University Press, 2008); The Madrassah Challenge: Militancy and Religious Education in Pakistan (USIP, 2008), and The Cuisines of the Axis of Evil and Other Irritating States (Globe Pequot, 2008), among others. 

She is a member of Women in International Security, International Studies Association, American Political Science Association, the… Read more

Occupation: Professor
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan

Jansz, Frederica

Expert Witness skilled in advising the courts on cases involving Sri Lankan, Pakistan and the Maldive Islands asylum seekers.

Occupation: Journalist and Editor.
Countries of expertise: Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Mehmood, Dr Maryyum

The Expert is a lecturer, political analyst and cultural commentator specialising in racial and religious hatred in the UK and South Asia.

Occupation: Associate Director and Teaching Fellow, Cadbury Centre, University of Birmigham
Countries of expertise: Bangladesh, France, Germany, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom

Phelps, Dr. Sandra

The Expert is a Gender & Social Inclusion International Development specialist across multiple global south countries - She holds a Ph.D. in Gender & Postcolonial Studies, University of Sydney, Australia, 2005.

The Expert is an experienced senior consultant and academic with 15+ years in educational program design and management across humanitarian and development sectors, including democracy, education, civil society, and government collaboration in diverse global regions. Her expertise in creating effective development programs with a focus on inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.

Occupation: The Expert is a Gender & Social Inclusion International Development specialist across multiple global south countries - She holds a Ph.D. in Gender & Postcolonial Studies, University of Sydney, Australia, 2005.
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Australia, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tunisia

Smith, Dr Chris

The Expert has completed over 3,000 expert witness reports on Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Malaysia since 2005, primarily for the UK courts but also in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.  This has also included cases on terrorism and extradition. Oral expert evidence in all recent Sri Lankan Country Guidance cases from LP (2007) to KK & RS (2020).

Most recent one month research visit to Sri Lanka in March 2022 (Northern and Eastern Provinces).  It is usual to visit Sri Lanka and select countries in Asia each year for at least a month.  Strong emphasis on fieldwork and interviews with officials and in-country experts and focus upon risk and vulnerability on return.

Also, expertise on India, especially Tamil Nadu and Khalistan and LGBTQ issues generally.  Recent expert witness on high profile extradition cases in Hong Kong, London and New York.  Research visits to India, Pakistan and Malaysia are planned for 2023. 

Extensive field work and publications record in India from 1983, including my PhD on India’s defence industry and security sector (1988) and two year tenure at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies/United Nations University (Delhi) (1983-85).

Expert witness research trip planned for 2023 (Chandigarh, Delhi,… Read more

Occupation: Independent Researcher
Countries of expertise: India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Tushar, Md Solaiman

The Expert is a Barrister-at-Law of England and Wales. The Expert is a practicing Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. He holds the position of Head of Chambers at "Justice for All', with nearly a decade's experience in legal practice. The expert regularly moves before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh for various matters including Writ (Judicial Review), Criminal and Civil Appeal and Revision, Bail Petition, Intellectual Property, Company Matter, Inheritance, Public Interest Litigation, Muslim Personal Law,  Succession Law,  Hindu Law, etc.

Parallel to his legal pursuits, the expert is the Legal Affairs and Political Editor of The Daily Campus and columnist. Accumulatively, he possesses over 18 years of sustained experience as a Journalist in Bangladesh, having written extensively on a broad range of issues, including human rights, the criminal justice system, politics, education, health, mental health, and international laws.

The Expert is an academic specialist in the politics and international relations of South Asia, & the Middle East with almost two decades of experience studying the region. The Expert has conducted research, advisory, and consultancy work in Bangladesh on the formal and informal justice systems, freedom of speech and other… Read more

Occupation: Barrister-at-Law, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Researcher, Journalist, and Columnist.
Countries of expertise: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Yemen