Joint UN Programme on Prevention of and response to gender-based violence in Sri Lanka

In response to the United Nations Common Country Assessment 2006 that highlighted the increased vulnerability of Sri Lankan women to gender disparities and GBV, the United Nations Developmental Assistance Framework 2008-2012 (UNDAF) recognised gender extensively, both as a stand-alone pillar and a cross-cutting issue within the other three pillars of Poverty, Governance and Peace. The UN Joint Programme for the Prevention of and Response to Gender-based Violence (GBV) falls under the Gender Pillar of UNDAF for Sri Lanka and in particular the fourth UNDAF outcome, “Women are further empowered to contribute and benefit equitably and equally in political, economic and social life.” The participating UN agencies – ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO, supported by the UN Resident Coordinator and the Chairperson of the UN Gender Theme Group – will invest their combined expertise and resources to support the achievement of the fourth UNCT outcome of the fourth UNDAF outcome, i.e. “Gender-based violence is reduced through multi-sectoral interventions, and the effective implementation of laws and policies in keeping with international standards”. The increasing acknowledgement that GBV is a public health and social issue of serious magnitude and a human rights violation that severely limits women’s choices in all spheres of life provides an environment conducive to the implementation of programmes to address the issue. The programme further contributes to the outcomes of poverty reduction, democratic governance, and sustainable peace addressed by the UNDAF.

Project symbol

SRL/11/01/FPA

Admin unit

CO-Colombo

Start date

12/04/2011

End date

31/10/2013

Total allocation

147646

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

147646

Development Partners

United Nations Population Fund

Country/Countries

Sri Lanka

Outcomes

Employment Promotion