Capacity Building Programme on the Role of Public Sector Services in Preventing Gender-Based Violence (Organized by YWCA Sri Lanka in Collaboration with UNFPA)

The Centre for Gender Studies (CGS) at the National Institute of Social Development (NISD) actively participated in the Capacity Building Programme on the Role of Public Sector Services in Preventing Gender-Based Violence (GBV), held on 29 September 2025 at the National YWCA Headquarters Auditorium, Colombo 03. Organized jointly by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) Sri Lanka and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the full-day training brought together representatives from the police, legal, health, and social service sectors to strengthen survivor-centered and coordinated responses to GBV. Led by a GBV expert, the programme aimed to enhance knowledge and skills, foster institutional collaboration, and improve protection, justice, and support mechanisms for survivors. Participants engaged in discourse-building sessions to design practical prevention strategies, focusing on cooperation, accountability, and performance among public institutions. The CGS Director, working committee, and student members actively contributed to discussions and activities, reflecting the Centre’s commitment to promoting gender equity, strengthening institutional linkages, and supporting comprehensive approaches to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in Sri Lanka.