Leigh-Ashley Lipscomb

Leigh-Ashley Lipscomb is an independent researcher specializing in the history and culture of East and Southeast Asia, with a particular interest in human rights, transitional justice, and gender issues. She is currently collaborating with Professor David Cohen on a project analyzing the politics of justice in East Timor, with a specific focus on access to justice for vulnerable groups. She most recently served as a member of the first team of UN Women Protection Advisers of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, monitoring, investigating, analyzing, and reporting on conflict-related sexual violence. Previously she was posted with the United Nations Mission in Timor-Leste, where she was the Acting Coordinator of the Monitoring and Protection Unit of the Human Rights Division. Prior to working with the United Nations, Lipscomb was a researcher for the UC Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center and served as Special Assistant to the Legal Advisor to the Truth and Friendship Commission between Indonesia and Timor-Leste and as Researcher for the national prosecution team of the Serious Crimes Unit in Timor-Leste. Earlier in her career she developed human rights education curriculum for primary school students in rural Japan, and helped develop a scholarship for higher education for Filipina women in honor of Corazon Aquino. She holds a PhD and MA from UC Berkeley in Asian Studies, and a BA from University of Virginia in Asian Studies.