Women vital for poverty eradication

Shirley Wijesinghe

COLOMBO: Female participation is vital in any project dealing with poverty eradication and no country can fight poverty without their assistance, United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC) Deputy Director M. Pimple said.

The Deputy Director speaking as chief guest at the Joint Media and Society Leaders' Conference at the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) recently, said Sri Lanka has achieved its millennium goals by a significant level compared with other countries in the region.

This should be spread throughout the country for maximum results, he said.

South Asia accounts for 50 per cent of global poverty and hence the voice of the region is at a high level, he said.

The country's children should be motivated and educating them is a vital requirement in the fight to eradicate poverty, he said.

The Deputy Director detailed the millennium development goals under the theme 'Campaign against Poverty'.

Sri Lanka-United Nations Friendship Organisation Director General Dr. Deshapriya S. Wijetunga explained how the organisation attracted world leaders at the last UN conference in New York.

Certificates to social service activists were distributed by Deputy Director, Ven. Uthuru Magala Vinna Thera, Rev. Bro. Dr. Baptist Croos and Dr. M.P. Hemapala. Several media personnel also addressed the conference.