14/09/2024
The Governments of Colombia and Sweden, in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO, and UN Representatives, are organizing a Global Conference on Ending Violence Against Children. This significant event is scheduled to take place on November 6-7, 2024, in Bogotá, Colombia. As a pathfinder country, Sri Lanka plans to participate in this high-level conference.
In preparation for the ministerial conference, Sri Lanka has conducted several national preparatory sessions, including:
- **Consultation sessions with children: Held in children’s clubs with the support of Child Rights Promotion Officers/Assistants at the divisional level, in collaboration with World Vision and Child Fund.
- **National Preparatory Session (NPS): This session, held on September 10, 2024, at the Waters Edge Hotel in Battaramulla, included key governmental stakeholders. Attendees represented the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Sri Lanka Police, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Ministry of Health, Legal Aid Commission, Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Public Security, Sri Lanka CERT, and Provincial Departments of Probation and Child Care Services. The session was supported financially and technically by UNICEF Sri Lanka.
In addition to these, **another National Preparatory Session** was held on September 6, 2024, at Waters Edge Hotel in Battaramulla, involving non-governmental stakeholders. Participants included representatives from organizations such as World Vision, Child Fund, Save the Children, CERI, WHO, Sisterhood Initiative, Centre for Children’s Happiness, Iprobono, SOS, Generation Never Give Up, Sarvodaya – Suwasetha, SAFE Foundation, Blooming Buds Social Foundation, Child Care Path Lanka, Mithuru Mithuro Movement, Child Protection Alliance, Safe Circle, and other organizations. This consultation was also conducted with the financial and technical support of UNICEF Sri Lanka.
of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment # Save the Children in Sri Lanka