Considering the nature and extent of incidents of sexual and gender based violence being reported frequently in Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs formulated the Policy Framework and National Plan of Action 2016-2020 to address Sexual and Gender based Violence (SGBV) in Sri Lanka, which incorporated nine different sectors representing key government entities.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) played a pivotal role in contributing to the development of this Policy Framework and National plan, considering the fact that gender perspective needs to be integrated into all aspects of disaster management.

With the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian government, DMC was able to successfully complete the relevant consultative sessions and the launch of the publication “Handbook on Gender, Sexual Gender Based Violence in Disasters” took place on 19th August 2022.

Accordingly, as the next step of the proposed Action plan, in order to sensitize and capacitate relevant officials/ officers to effectively respond to issues of SGBV in disasters, under the guidance of the Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, Major General (Retd.) Sudantha Ranasinghe, a three day residential sensitisation programme was held at national level from 17th to 19th October 2022 at Movenpick hotel. This programme/ workshop was well attended by over forty participants representing various key stakeholder groups and professionals in the subject area of SGBV in disasters conducted the sessions in an interactive manner.