People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) is 501(c)3 non-profit organization led by human rights activists concerned about the situation in Sri Lanka. PEARL was founded in 2005 by Tamil Americans based in Washington, DC. The previous year, a group of university students traveled to Sri Lanka to volunteer with humanitarian efforts. Once there, these young Tamils were catalyzed by the ongoing repression and systemic human rights violations they saw Tamils suffering on the island. In the years since its inception, PEARL has positioned itself as a resource for policymakers, activists, journalists, civil society, and victim-survivors, both in the North-East and in the rest of the world. It is also one of few Tamil diaspora organizations led by a woman.