An official from the Family Health Bureau of the Ministry of Health has disclosed that the number of women falling victim to various atrocities and violence this year in Sri Lanka has surpassed twenty thousand. Dr. Netanjali Mapitigama, addressing a workshop focused on deliberating the contents of the multi-sectoral National Action Plan to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against Women (SGBV), highlighted the alarming prevalence of violence experienced by women, particularly during pregnancy.
This crucial workshop, held under the auspices of (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Chair of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Parliament, and (Mrs.) Thalatha Athukorala, Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Children, Women, and Gender, gathered Members of Parliament who emphasized the need for effective implementation of these plans to curtail violence against women both within the home and in the workplace.
Initiated by the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs, and Social Empowerment, the multi-sectoral national action plan aligns with the curricula of 13 ministries, focusing on 18 sectors to comprehensively address the issue.
Sriani Perera, Gender Advisory from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and Dr. Lakshman Senanayake, Advisory from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), provided detailed insights into the National Action Plan to address Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). The workshop facilitated active participation, allowing attendees to contribute new ideas and suggestions to enhance the effectiveness of this national action plan.
