No to Gender-Based Violence in Sri Lanka

This project aims to combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and promote gender equality in the Batticaloa Hambantota and Kilinochchi districts of Sri Lanka. This project works to strengthen women's groups and youth groups to help their members prevent SGBV support victims and extend their outreach and impact to others in their district. This project also aims to harness the imagination and energy of youth to find their own innovative ways of combating SGBV and promoting gender equality through messages delivered by means of the arts and social media campaigns. Project activities include: (1) providing values-changing training in SGBV and organizational management to local women’s groups and youth groups; (2) supporting youth developed anti-SGBV arts and social media messaging; and (3) providing training to village divisional and district level government to enhance the cooperation between civil society and local government.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) more effective leadership provided by civil society organizations (especially women's and youth groups) against sexual gender-based violence and for gender equality; and (2) more effective implementation by government and non-governmental organizations of elements of the Sri Lanka National Plan of Action for sexual and gender-based violence.