Programmes Director, Feminist Leadership and Movements at CREA World (CREA)

Piyumi Samaraweera is Programmes Director, Feminist Leadership and Movements at CREA World (CREA). CREA is a feminist international human rights organisation based in the Global South and led by women from the Global South. CREA’s work draws upon the inherent value of a rights-based approach to sexuality and gender equality. Based in London, Piyumi’s role supports CREA as it promotes, protects, and advances human rights and the sexual rights of all people by building leadership capacities of activists and allies; strengthening organisations and social movements; creating and increasing access to new information, knowledge, and resources; and enabling supportive social and policy environments.

In her previous role as Programme Manager: Innovation and Partnerships at Womankind Worldwide (Womankind), Piyumi played a critical role in developing strong and resilient relationships with Womankind’s partners based in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Nepal, including through programme co-design, as well as programme and grant management.

Piyumi was previously Head of Diversity Membership, at Business in the Community (BITC) where she led and managed a 15-person membership services team within BITC’s diversity campaigns to provide advisory services and engage and grow the membership in line with strategic plans.

As a Sri Lankan-British feminist, and as someone who has lived, studied, and worked across Asia, the US, and the UK, Piyumi enjoys work that has a global outlook and is connected to women’s rights. The proud granddaughter of Sri Lanka’s first woman Mayor, Piyumi has a love for the arts and has starred as a lead in “Aksharaya”, a feature-length film that premiered at the San Sebastian film festival in 2005.