Inka Lilja / Leave of absence 1.1.2022-31.12.2024
Senior Programme Officer
“I have always been fascinated by the socio-cultural context and moral aspects of criminal justice, and I am therefore inspired by the humane criminal justice spirit reflected in HEUNI’s work"
As a lawyer, I am fascinated by the interlinkages between rule of law and development - how rights stated in international conventions and national laws translate to individual wellbeing and happiness. Through my work at HEUNI I want to do my bit to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, in particular improve the criminal justice systems, so that they deliver justice, in the world of many injustices. I have worked for the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, and I am confident that HEUNI’s action-oriented research can contribute greatly to UN policies in the field of criminal justice and crime prevention.
Currently, I work mostly on HEUNI’s area of focus: “improving access to justice and the quality of services for vulnerable victims of crime”. I have expertise in the field of victims of crime and in particular on violence against women in the migration context. I am particularly proud of the outputs of the CCM-GBV project in which HEUNI was responsible for collecting extensive qualitative and quantitative data on the phenomena of refugee women as victims of gender-based violence and lessons learned in assisting them in 6 EU countries. The data informed the co-creation of a Handbook for practitioners and a publication titled Unseen victims. I am currently coordinating the follow up project SARAH, which aims to improve access to, and quality of, victim support services for migrant women victims of gender-based violence.
- Email[email protected]
- Telephone+358 503019521

Writings, projects and publications
-
SARAH: Safe, Aware, Resilient, Able and Heard – protecting and supporting migrant women victims of gender-based violence
2021 - 2022The SARAH project will raise awareness on gender-based violence and on victims’ rights among migrant populations, and awareness of the challenges migrant populations face in accessing victim...
Read More -
RE-JUST. Towards a more responsive victim-centered approach of the criminal justice system
2020 - 2021The project seeks to identify strategies and action plans to improve victims' access to justice.
Read More -
CCM-GBV. Co-creating a counselling method for refugee women GBV victims
2017 - 2019The overall objective of the project is to inform and support refugee women who have been victims of gender based violence and to improve their access to services.
Read More
-
Published in 2021
Ulkomaalaislain ja sen soveltamiskäytännön muutosten yhteisvaikutukset kansainvälistä suojelua hakeneiden ja saaneiden asemaan
Authors
Elina Pirjatanniemi, Inka Lilja, Maija Helminen, Kristiina Vainio, Outi Lepola, Anne Alvesalo-KuusiRead More -
Published in 2020
Unseen victims
Authors
Inka LiljaRead More -
Published in 2020
Unseen Victims. Why Refugee Women Victims of Gender-Based Violence Do Not Receive Assistance in the EU
Authors
Inka Lilja, Elina Kervinen, Anni Lietonen, Natalia Ollus, Minna Viuhko, Anniina JokinenRead More -
Published in 2020
Käsikirja sukupuolistunutta väkivaltaa kokeneiden pakolais- ja turvapaikanhakijanaisten ohjaukseen
Authors
Inka Lilja (ed.)Read More -
Published in 2019
Handbook on counselling asylum seeking and refugee women victims of gender-based violence
Authors
Inka Lilja (ed.)Read More -
Published in 2021
A Toolkit for Enhancing Counselling for Victims of Gender-Based Violence
Authors
Anni Lietonen, Inka LiljaRead More -
Published in 2022
”You hear my concern and help me think of solutions”
Authors
Julia Korkman, Inka LiljaRead More