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ICC and UNICEF partner to promote gender equality through cricket

Published

2 years ago

2022/10/16

The ICC and UNICEF have launched a global partnership to empower women and girls and promote inclusion and gender equality through cricket.Initiatives to drive greater gender equity along with advocacy campaigns involving some of the world’s best players will form the basis of the partnership which aims to mobilise the power of cricket to drive positive social change.Later in the year, as part of this collaboration, UNICEF and the ICC will launch Criiio 4 Good, a cricket for development curriculum giving girls and boys the opportunity to have a fun first experience of the game whilst learning gender-based life-skills essential for gender equity.

The Criiio 4 Good programme, which will be available free on the ICC and UNICEF websites, delivers an eight-week lesson plan on the fundamentals of batting, bowling and fielding. Whilst each lesson plan has a life-skill module attached to teach participants core life skills that will promote greater gender equity. These skills include leadership, problem-solving, self-esteem, negotiation, empathy, decision-making, teamwork and goal setting.The ICC will also use its global platform to drive greater awareness of the importance of empowering women and girls and gender equity, giving some of the world’s best players the opportunity to get involved in driving greater social change.

Australia men’s T20I captain Aaron Finch is leading the call for every cricket fan to #BeAChampion. He said: “I am so proud, as the dad of a daughter, to #BeAChampion for girls and support the partnership between the ICC and UNICEF to promote gender equity through cricket.

“Cricket has more than one billion fans and we have a huge platform to empower women and girls through our sport. The Criiio 4 Good programme gives young girls and boys the chance to get active whilst learning life skills that are essential for gender equity. Every single cricket fan can join me and #BeAChampion and together we can harness cricket to build a better future.”

The partnership will continue throughout the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa and Proteas Captain, Dané van Niekerk, said, “What an amazing initiative by the ICC in collaboration with UNICEF, aimed at fostering an equal future for women and girls from all walks of life through the shared passion for the game of cricket.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to #BeAChampion for this worthy cause as cricket has played an immense role throughout my life and I truly believe that this sport has the power to affect real positive change in many young people’s lives, especially girls, whose place on the field of play cannot be disputed.

“I would like to encourage all sports lovers, cricket fans, parents, guardians and coaches to play their part, no matter how significant, to promote gender equity through the Cricket 4 Good campaign which will help smash the existing biases for six while providing an enjoyable, lesson-filled experience.

“On behalf of the South African national women’s cricket team and Cricket South Africa, I pledge to further advance the message and potential impact this programme will have on future generations, and I trust many of my colleagues in the cricket fraternity will follow suit,”

Speaking on the partnership, Geoff Allardice, ICC CEO, said: “Harnessing the power of cricket to build a better future is a central part of our global growth strategy. So, I am delighted to be continuing our partnership with UNICEF to empower women and girls through cricket.

“The Criiio 4 Good programme is a wonderful tool for anyone around the world to use to get young girls and boys active having fun with a bat and ball and also learn vital life-skills that will help shape a more gender equal world in the future.”

Elaborating on the partnership, Karin Hulshof, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, said, “The partnership with ICC is fantastic and powerful. It reaches more than a billion cricket fans with the message to be a champion for girls. When girls’ do better, we all do better. We know that the benefits of gender equality go beyond their direct impact on children. With gender equality, we create a world of tolerance and shared responsibility – a world that is fit for children.”

Through this initiative ICC will use its global platforms, including its broadcast and digital channels to support UNICEF’s work and highlight girls around the world in gender equitable situations. All 16 competing nations will also hold Cricket 4 Good Coaching Clinics at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup venues during the tournament with up to 40 school children taking part in each one. The players will introduce the children to the Criiio 4 Good curriculum so as well as fun cricket drills, the participants will also learn more about gender equity and get to meet their cricketing heroes.The ICC events the partnership will be activated at include: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Australia, Oct-Nov 2022, ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, South Africa, Jan 2023, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, South Africa, Feb 2023, ICC World Test Championship Final, England, June 2023 and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, India, Oct-Nov 2023

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Our government has reaffirmed its commitment to breaking barriers that limit women’s full participation in the economy, recognizing their vital role in national development. – Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

Published

16 hours ago

2025/03/15

Priyan

“Women play a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s economic and social development. Yet, despite their immense contribution, structural barriers continue to limit their full participation in the economy. Our government is committed to breaking these barriers by fostering an inclusive economic environment where women can thrive as business leaders, entrepreneurs, and exporters.” Said Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

The Prime Minister made this statement while addressing the launching the She Trades Sri Lanka Hub funded by the UK’s She Trades Commonwealth+ Program held at Galle face Hotel in Colombo on March 14 organized by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

While addressing the audience, the Prime minister stated, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to breaking barriers that limit women’s full participation in the economy, recognizing their vital role in national development. Emphasizing gender-inclusive policies, financial inclusion, and access to global markets, authorities are prioritizing support for women-led businesses in key sectors such as ICT, agribusiness, and engineering.

A new initiative will establish 200 women-led cooperatives, fostering supportive environments for female entrepreneurs. Additionally, efforts to strengthen childcare, elderly care, and disability services aim to reduce the burdens that limit women’s economic participation.

A dedicated platform has been launched to provide women entrepreneurs with knowledge, networking, and international trade opportunities. Strengthening public-private partnerships and expanding global market access are key strategies to create an inclusive and sustainable trade ecosystem.

By equipping women with the necessary skills, financial resources, and digital trade access, the government aims to ensure that women entrepreneurs become key drivers of economic growth, aligning with broader policies for inclusive and sustainable development.

The event was attended by Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Center, His Excellency Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Officials from the International Trade Center and the British High Commission in Sri Lanka, Chairman of the Export Development Board Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe and Officials from Export Development Board and International Trade Centre and woman Entrepreneurs.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

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Batalanda Commission report tabled … finally

Published

22 hours ago

2025/03/15

Thilina Walpola

by Saman Indrajith

TheBatalanda Presidential Co-mission report was tabled in Parliament yesterday (14) by the Leader of the House and Transport Minister, Bimal Ratnayake.

Minister Ratnayake announced that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for legal advice. Additionally, a Presidential Committee will be appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on how to proceed with the findings of the report.

Ratnayake said that the Cabinet-of-Ministers, along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a policy decision to take necessary action in response to the report. He reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure that such a dark chapter in the country’s history is never repeated.

Minister Ratnayake said that a two-day debate on the Batalanda Commission report will be scheduled in Parliament at an appropriate time, allowing for a detailed discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations.

The report, which will be printed in all three official languages—Sinhala, Tamil, and English—will be made available to the public in the near future. Ratnayake confirmed that printed copies would be provided to Members of Parliament, as well as the general public, for review.

The Leader of the House revealed that there are 28 evidence volumes associated with the Commission’s work, which will be submitted to Parliament at a later date for further scrutiny.

Ratnayake said that as the entire country is concerned about the findings of the Batalanda Commission, the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised, and preventing future atrocities, stands clear. The next steps, including legal action and policy recommendations, will be shaped by expert advice and informed parliamentary discussions, he said.

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COPE finds fake documents submitted for emergency procurement of drugs

Published

22 hours ago

2025/03/15

Thilina Walpola

The Parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that there were fake documents regarding the importing of medicines under the emergency procurement system in 2022 and 2023.

This was revealed during a COPE meeting held at Parliament probing the transactions of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA).

NMRA CEO Saveen Semage told the Committee that several fake documents have been found due to the lack of registration of medicines.

Stating that six such fake documents were found last year alone, Saveen Semage said he had recorded statements regarding each of the documents with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division.

He revealed that, however, no investigations have been conducted yet into the incidents.

“We have documents with confessions from a woman accepting that fake documents had been made. However, a statement has not even been recorded from that woman yet,” he said.

Meanwhile, COPE member MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana also revealed that the highest number of waive-off registrations (WOR) for medicines had been obtained in 2022 and 2023.

He said 656 waive-off registrations (WOR) had been obtained in 2022 and 261 in 2023, adding that this proves that discrepancies have taken place during the emergency procurement of medicines during these periods.

Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. G. Wijesuriya, said discussions are underway on allowing the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to directly import essential medicines.He pointed out that it was essential to take a policy decision in this regard as a solution to mitigate such discrepancies.