Despite national policy achievements, violence against women in Sri Lanka is pervasive and exists in the family, the workplace and the community. This is largely due to prevailing inequality between genders steeped in social norms and women being socially and economically disadvantaged. 1 in 5 (20.4%) women in Sri Lanka have experienced sexual and/or physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime and 1 in 4 women (24.9%) have experienced sexual and/or physical violence since the age of 15 (UNFPA, 2019). But only over one third (37.3%) and one fifth (21.6%) of victims sought support respectively from the police and health care centres.

To bring about a justice sector approach to addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women and girls, and gender minorities in the country, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in coordination with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka working together with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will design and implement the ‘Enabling Access to Justice for Victim-Survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Sri Lanka’ project with funding from the Government of Canada. The five-year project launched today will empower women, girls and gender minorities, including victim survivors of SGBV to access justice, demand and receive better services, and work towards a society free of SGBV.

The project serves as an instrument to bring the efforts currently invested with Sri Lanka’s Multisectoral SGBV Action Plan 2016-2020, supported by UNDP and in line with Canada’s policy, and its ongoing review led by UNDP and UNFPA, while also framing its work within the commitments of the Sri Lanka Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy being formulated by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs with oversight from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Gender Equality supported by UNFPA.

Speaking to the importance of this project, Mr. Kunle Adeniyi, UNFPA Representative for Sri Lanka and Country Director for the Maldives noted, “The failure to prevent and penalize violence against women and girls leads to the continued violation of their rights and hinders their contribution to society. UNFPA believes that engaging men is integral to any and all attempts to realise gender equality. When women and girls live without the fear of violence, they have the potential to contribute to the advancement of families and communities. This joint project will support strengthening survivors and the services available to them, including the modelling of innovative prevention interventions for gender-based violence.”

Resulting from wide consultations that have taken place, the new ‘Enabling Access to Justice for Victim-Survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Sri Lanka’ project has been designed to be victim survivor-centric and is anchored in the pillars of enforcement, services and prevention. With an ambition to make the justice pathway safe, inclusive and equipped to enforce policies and provide access to justice to victim survivors; the project seeks to ensure that service providers are capacitated- with resources to provide better services to victim survivors; and to address harmful social norms through prevention measures informed by diverse voices. Thus, creating agency for women, girls and gender minorities to access the justice system and live a life free from the threat and fear of violence.