Japan provides USD 1.5 million grant aid for gender equality and empowerment through UNFPA

The Government of Japan has provided a grant aid worth 163 million Japanese Yen (approximately US$ 1.47 million) through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for “the Project for the Improvement of Access to Information and Services of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and of Gender-based Violence for Women and Young People” to accelerate positive change on gender equality, empowerment of women and girls and respect for their human rights to achieve and sustain peace.
 
The Exchange of Notes for the projects was signed on 6th March, 2019 at the Ambassador’s Residence between H.E. Mr. Akira Sugiyama, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka and Ms. Ritsu Nacken, Country Representative, UNFPA Sri Lanka Country Office.  Mrs. Wasantha Perera, Secretary, Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine also attended the ceremony.
 
The fund will be used to improve access to youth friendly sexual and reproductive health information and services, as well as promote sexual and reproductive health and rights of young Sri Lankans, women and girls at the national level, as well as at the provincial level, targeting in the North, East, South and Central provinces. In particular, this project includes a research on the demand for family planning, awareness, attitudes, practices and barriers as well as a national mass media sensitization campaign including visual, audio, print and social media. This project also provide capacity building programs to officials of Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Ministry of Youth, and Ministry of Education on youth friendly sexual and reproductive health and rights. Under this project, capacity of existing shelters for sexual and gender based violence survivors are strengthened both in terms of infrastructure and comprehensive service provision
 
The Government of Japan and the Government of Sri Lanka are partners to advance the G7 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Partnerships Initiative, which was agreed at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in April, 2018, aiming at accelerating positive change on gender equality, empowerment of women and girls and respect for their human rights to achieve and sustain peace. This assistance is one of the initiatives between Japan and Sri Lanka for the further implementation of the WPS agenda.