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Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
The National Forum against Gender-Based Violence (Forum against GBV, also known as the GBV Forum) Sri Lanka was set up in 2005 following a consultation with selected agencies working on gender–based violence (GBV) in order to facilitate greater coordination, sharing of information/ resources and to strengthen multi-sectoral responses to GBV during the aftermath of the Tsunami.
At present, the National Forum against GBV is a collective of over 50 agencies comprising of the Government, United Nations, national and international non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations and individual experts in the field.
With the leadership of UNFPA as the Chair of the Forum, the Forum is now the national level platform for coordinated advocacy and collective actions against GBV in Sri Lanka.
As the lead UN agency addressing issues related to gender-based violence
(GBV) in Sri Lanka, UNFPA is delighted to play a role as the chair of the National Forum Against
Gender-based Violence since its inception in 2005. Achieving gender equality is a cross cutting
priority affecting all other development issues in the world, as is reflected in the 5th Sustainable
Development Goal: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”
A study conducted by UNFPA in 2015 reveals that 90% of women using
public transport experience sexual harassment of some form in Sri Lanka. This study brings to the
light just one aspect of GBV among many others which are yet to be uncovered. Here at the Forum,
numerous organizations, parties, individuals and networks come together to share knowledge and
realize greater and wider impact through collective advocacy and action against GBV in the country.
Let us continue “to be the change (we) want to see” through united and
coordinated action towards eliminating GBV in Sri Lanka. I hope that this website will serve as a
great source of information and inspiration to all of you who have interest in and commitment to
eliminating GBV from Sri Lanka.
Thank you.
Ritsu Nacken
Co-Chair, National Forum Against GBV
Representative, UNFPA
Increased Demand and Engagement for Accountability (IDEA) considers
gender based violence a serious problem and addressing it a national priority in Sri Lanka. Hence,
delighted to be a part of and contribute towards solutions as the co-chair of this forum.
IDEA currently supports civil society organisations (CSOs) in different parts of the country. Some
of them are working collaboratively with government authorities and other stakeholders to support
survivors and address violence through divisional SGBV forums. A number of these civil society
organisations are providing psychosocial and legal counselling as well as emergency assistance to
women affected by violence. IDEA also works with labour unions and women's organisations advocating
for the speedy ratification of ILO convention on harassment in the world of work (C-190). Support
for CSOs also include research on technology assisted gender based violence and advocacy on related
law and policy reforms.
A change for better in addressing GBV requires sustained and collective effort. Hoping to harness
the immense potential of every member in the forum towards this goal, while always striving to walk
the talk.
Gowthaman Balachandran
Co-Chair, National Forum Against GBV
Chief
of Party, IDEA/MSI
