European Union (EU) Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Carmen Moreno and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Azusa Kubota inaugurated UNDP’s mobile interactive exhibition, ‘A Journey of Transformation and Women’s Empowerment,’ in Galle on Wednesday. The exhibition was open to the public at the Galle Municipal Hall until Thursday.
The exhibition, which made its fifth stop in Galle last week, stems from an initiative sparked during last year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign. It was graced by local government and civil society representatives working in the area through a social dialogue.
Supported by UNDP Sri Lanka’s efforts over the years, alongside multiple partners, the exhibition aims to address barriers to gender equality and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). These inspiring tales of change include women’s roles in ensuring food security, adapting to climate change, leading community actions, pioneering work in the justice sector, women local government champions and sustaining livelihoods supported by the European Union in Sri Lanka across many projects.
The exhibition was in line with UNDP Sri Lanka’s broader project, ‘Ensuring Justice for Victim-Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Sri Lanka,’ jointly implemented with UNFPA Sri Lanka and funded by the Government of Canada. It also aligns with UNDP’s flagship portfolio on ‘SDG16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions,’ which receives support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
The exhibition invited the public to participate in discussions, share their stories, and contribute ideas for gender transformation and women’s empowerment. Through these interactive sessions, UNDP in Sri Lanka hoped to inspire change and promote a society free of SGBV.