Australia, UN Women and Chrysalis launch 5-year project to empower women and transform social norms in Sri Lanka  

6 December 2024 (Colombo, Sri Lanka): The Government of Australia will partner with UN Women and national civil society organization Chrysalis on a new 5-year programme to advance gender equality in Sri Lanka. “THRIVE – Together for Her: Resilience-building, Inclusivity, and Voices for Equality in Sri Lanka” will economically and socially empower women, working with their families and communities to address persistent and harmful social norms that perpetuate issues such as gender-based violence.

His Excellency Paul Stephens, Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka said: “Australia has an enduring partnership with Sri Lanka and a steadfast commitment to promoting gender equality in our region.  No country can meet its development goals without ensuring everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. By challenging harmful social norms and investing in women’s leadership and livelihoods, we want to support a future where all Sri Lankans can thrive”.

THRIVE will focus on communities in Badulla, Colombo, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Monaragala and Nuwara Eliya, where multi-dimensional poverty continues to be a significant challenge.  To ensure sustainability of the programme, public sector officials at both the national and sub-national levels will receive capacity-building on gender planning and budgeting processes.

Christine Arab, UN Women Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific said: “Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires significant advancements in realizing gender equality and women’s empowerment.”

“The partnership of the Government of Australia, national stakeholders in Sri Lanka and UN Women on gender-transformative approaches is crucial to support the country’s national vision for economic and social growth. UN Women thanks the Government of Australia for its continued commitment to gender equality and its long-term partnership in Sri Lanka and region-wide,” added Arab.

The announcement of THRIVE coincides with 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (GBV) as the project aims to transform social norms and promote behaviour change to prevent GBV.

Additionally, the project will take a holistic approach to building women’s resilience and agency– supporting over 1950 women-led enterprises to expand their businesses and better withstand  climate related impacts. THRIVE aims to integrate social norms change with families and communities and support local women’s political participation.

Ashika Gunasena, CEO of Chrysalis noted: “By offering capacity-building opportunities, economic resources, and climate-resilient assets, this initiative will create sustainable pathways for women to become leaders in their communities. We look forward to working on this important initiative to uplift the lives of women in Sri Lanka”.