According to UNFPA Sri Lanka, one out of four females is sexually abused by the time they reach 18 years of age in Sri Lanka. The ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence’ (GBV) global campaign runs from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) up to 10 December (Human Rights Day), advocating for the elimination of all forms of GBV against women around the world.

To mark this year’s campaign in Sri Lanka, the National Forum against Gender-based violence launched the website dedicated to forum activities and held a press conference on 25 November 2016 at the UN Compound in Colombo to inform the public & decision makers on the key issues that forum continues to advocate. The National Forum Against GBV is a group of 50+ organizations representing Government agencies, UN agencies, national and international non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, and individual experts in the field. The Forum, which has evolved in to a National-level platform for coordinated advocacy and collective actions against GBV, is chaired by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka. 

FPA Sri Lanka is a member of this forum and Ms. Madusha Dissanayake(Director Public Affairs, Policy and Advocacy) and Mr Senel Wanniarachchi (Project Consultant- Human Rights, Youth, Gender and SRHR- Policy and Advocacy Unit) represented the organization at this event.

The European Union also officially launched a video featuring cricketing duo Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena. It advocates for the elimination of GBV in Sri Lanka.

To view, click here. https://www.facebook.com/EUDel.Srilanka.Maldives/videos/1130812100373512/

A poster campaign for the 16 days of activism also commenced.

Link to the forum website is: http://www.fagbvsl.org/