Japan provides US$ 2mn grant to promote gender equality and security
The Government of Japan has provided a grant aid worth 218 million Japanese Yen (approximately US$ 2 million) through the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) for the project of ‘Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Sri Lanka’ to accelerate positive change on gender equality, empowerment of women and girls and respect for their human rights to achieve and sustain peace in Sri Lanka.
The Exchange of Notes for the project was signed on September 18 between Akira Sugiyama, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka and Mohammad Naciri, Regional Director of UN Women for Asia and the Pacific.
Dharshana Senanayake, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and Development of Dry Zones also attended the ceremony.
The grant aid will be utilized to help the Government of Sri Lanka enhance women’s economic empowerment with particular attention to vulnerable groups, improve awareness of women’s rights as well as promote women’s political participation.
This aid is part of Japan’s assistance to Sri Lanka under the G7 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Partnerships Initiative that was agreed at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in April 2018.
Sri Lanka is the partner country of Japan to advance the WPS agenda under this initiative. Japan is keen to further support the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka in this regard in cooperation with other G7 members.