SL kicks off 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Friday, 29 November 2024 00:22 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

For millions of women and girls, digital spaces are fraught with risks that echo and amplify the violence they already face offline

Prime Minister Dr. Hairini Amarasuriya with Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj at the event

The National Launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign by UN Sri Lanka in partnership with the Government and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs (MOWCA) was held earlier this week. The event featured a walk to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with survivors of GBV.

The event was led by UNFPA Sri Lanka and saw the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Marc-André Franche and UNFPA Sri Lanka Representative Kunle Adeniyi.

UNFPA Sri Lanka Representative, Kunle Adeniyi said: «Our transport sector is rife with harassment. As we speak, there is ongoing training to see that conductors and drivers can be sensitized on what they will not accept in their vehicles. The Ministry has 1938 as a helpline that people can seek help when they are harassed. The Police force has about 14 emergency waiting areas to support women. All I›ve been saying are mainly issues around response, but response does not stop violence. We must do more with prevention. We expect funding, we expect support and most importantly we need the Government to lead in a public campaign to say we do not want violence anymore.»