Sensitization Workshop for Legal and Law Enforcement Sectors FPA Sri Lanka held a Sensitization Workshop for Legal and Law Enforcement Sectors on the 31st of May 2016 at the Ozo Hotel, Colombo. The objectives of this sensitization workshop were:

• To develop an organizational circular to address the discrimination faced by TG population due to enforcement of Penal Code Section 399, to be presented for approval by Inspector General of Police and Minister of Law & Order.
• To build a consensus about the organizational circular suitable for the prevention of harassment experienced by MSM and TG people during police investigations.
• To develop a mechanism to diffuse the organizational circular throughout the country.
• To increase awareness about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGIE) in order to reduce the stigma and discrimination.
• To build capacity of legal and law enforcement sectors to strengthen the advocacy efforts to SOGIE and create more allies within the legal and law enforcement sector.
• The workshop was held in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Police and the National STD/AIDS Control Programme for over 100 high-ranking Law enforcement police officers from Colombo representing the crimes division, traffic division, the vice division, and the legal division of the Sri Lanka Police. Distinguished guests included Justice Eva Wanasundara of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Inspector General of Police Mr. Pujith Jayasundara, all Deputy Inspector General’s of Police from Colombo, Senior Superintendents of Police and officers of the Sri Lanka Police, the Technical Hub of the Global Fund Multi-Country South Asia (GFMSA) Programme, and the Community Role Models of the GFMSA programme. Opening remarks for the workshop were made by Dr. Sisira Liyanage – Director of the National STD/AIDS Control Programme.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Pujith Jayasundera made a short speech during the course of the workshop, and a panel discussion chaired by Justice Eva Wanasundera was held with the participation of four Community Role Models representing the MSM and TG community. Several sessions on HIV and issues faced by the MSM and TG communities were conducted by Expert Resource Persons including Dr. Janaki Vidhanapathirana – Consultant Community Physician of the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Dr. Harischandra Yakandawala – Community Health Specialist, Ms. Madu Dissanayake – Director of Public Affairs, Policy and Advocacy of the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka, Mr. Ajith Rohana – Senior Superintendent of Police and Director of the Legal Division of the Sri Lanka Police, and Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa – Senior Lecturer of the University of Colombo.

At the end of the workshop, all those who participated signed a commitment sheet in which they were asked to state their agreement to an organizational circular being issued either by the Ministry of Law and Order or the Department of Police instructing the new procedure while not infringing the basic human rights of the Transgender (TG) population.