Stories of Sri Lankan Women Driving Change in Building a Gender-Equal Society
: H.E. Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Sri Lanka, and Ms Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, inaugurated UNDP’s mobile interactive exhibition, ‘A Journey of Transformation and Women’s Empowerment,’ in Galle last morning. The exhibition will be open to the public at the Galle Municipal Hall and will run until the 21st of March.
The exhibition which makes its 5th stop in Galle this week, stems from an initiative sparked during last year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign. It was graced by local government and civil society representatives working in the area through a social dialogue.
Supported by UNDP Sri Lanka’s efforts over the years, alongside multiple partners, the exhibition aims to address barriers to gender equality and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). These inspiring tales of change include women’s roles in ensuring food security, adapting to climate change, leading community actions, pioneering work in the justice sector, women local government champions and sustaining livelihoods supported by the European Union in Sri Lanka across many projects.
The exhibition is in line with UNDP Sri Lanka’s broader project, ‘Ensuring Justice for Victim-Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Sri Lanka,’ jointly implemented with UNFPA Sri Lanka and funded by the Government of Canada. It also aligns with UNDP’s flagship portfolio on ‘SDG16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions,’ which receives support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
The exhibition invites the public to participate in discussions, share their stories, and contribute ideas for gender transformation and women’s empowerment. Through these interactive sessions, UNDP in Sri Lanka hopes to inspire change and promote a society free of SGBV.
The exhibition will take place until 21st March 2024 at the Municipality Hall, Galle from 9.00 am – 6.00 pm. Free admission.
Caption: Pictured here: H.E. Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Sri Lanka, and Ms Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka
