
Field of Study:
Reproductive Medicine/Maternal Health
Home Institution in the U.S.:
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Host Institution in Sri Lanka:
TBC
Start Month/Year in Sri Lanka:
TBC
Duration of Grant:
TBC
Anita Taft
Anita Taft received her bachelor’s degree in human biology with a concentration in reproductive medicine and global studies from Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. She has worked as a student manager for the Cardinal Free Clinics to provide transitional healthcare for uninsured patients. Anita’s interests include women’s reproductive rights, global health equity, and community-based healthcare solutions. In her free time, she enjoys podcasting, hiking, and Persian poetry.
In partnership with the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka (FPA) and the World Bank Group, Anita’s Fulbright project addresses Sri Lanka’s health sector response to gender-based violence (GBV), focusing on Mithuru Piyasa/Natpu Nilayam centers. These centers integrate GBV care into public health infrastructure and provide survivor-centered services, including medical care, counseling, emergency contraception, and legal referrals. Using a mixed-methods approach, including stakeholder consultations, focus groups, and costing analysis, the study aims to identify service gaps and estimate costs for scaling interventions of Mithuru Piyasa/Natpu Nilayam centers. The findings will highlight resource constraints and access barriers, offering recommendations to improve staff training and sustainable GBV healthcare delivery for survivors.