Canada announces $6 million support for ‘Women Defining Peace’
COLOMBO: Canadian High Commissioner Angela J. Bogdan said
yesterday that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has
approved a Canadian 6 million dollar project to address gender based
violence and promote women’s leadership and gender equality in the
peace-building and tsunami rehabilitation processes.
“Canada recognises that women can play a critical role in peace
building efforts in Sri Lanka and this project will work to strengthen
the capacity of local women’s’ groups to realise their full potential in
that area,” said the High Commissioner.
“But building peace does not just mean an end to the armed conflict.
For women and girls across ethnic, geographic, and religious divides,
peace must also include freedom from the violence in their homes and
communities.”
The project will be executed over five years by the World University
Services in Canada (WUSC), with a long and successful history of
community development in Sri Lanka.
WUSC will implement programmes across Sri Lanka to strengthen civil
society networks and provide more co-ordinated services with government
for those affected by gender based violence; and increase the
integration of gender equality concerns in the peace-building processes
and tsunami rehabilitation efforts. |
