News
UNFPA signs MoU with University of Colombo, hands over medical supplies to Health Minister
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Sri Lanka, on Friday (01), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Colombo for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE), the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region.
The MoU formalizes the collaboration between the UNFPA Sri Lanka Country Office and the University of Colombo for the design and establishment of the Centre of Excellence, underscoring UNFPA’s commitment to thought leadership, knowledge creation, and innovation in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Pio Smith, UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Director and Kotaro Katsuki, Acting Ambassador of the Embassy of Japan, ceremoniously handed over medical supplies to Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health at the Ministry of Health.
The medicines and medical equipment, worth more than USD 2.1 million, were donated under the project “ENSURE: Ensuring access to life-saving sexual & reproductive health and providing gender-based violence prevention and response services for women, girls and vulnerable groups”.
This project, which is entirely worth USD 4.6 million, has been funded by the Government of Japan, as part of a response to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and is aimed to support women in vulnerable communities.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama yesterday ordered the further remand of Rakitha Rajapakshe, son of former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Horana organiser Charith Abeysinghe, and former Airport and Aviation Services Director Aruna Sri Chathuranga, until July 28.
The three suspects were arrested on June 25 over allegations that they solicited and accepted Rs. 120 million in bribes from the wife of alleged underworld figure ‘Harak Kata’.
The Magistrate said the suspects’ bail applications would be considered when the case is taken up on July 28.
Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) in charge of the Eastern Province, Waruna Jayasundara, has been transferred, with immediate effect, to the Police Children’s and Women’s Bureau.
Police said Jayasundara will assume duties as the Senior Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Police Children and Women Bureau, following the transfer.
More than 50 people die annually in Sri Lanka due to lightning strikes, Director of the Astronomy and Space Science Unit of the University of Colombo, Professor Chandana Jayaratne, said.
He said many others suffer injuries as adequate attention is not given to lightning protection systems, resulting in preventable casualties.
Prof. Jayaratne said steps have been taken to establish a National Lightning Protection Centre aimed at addressing the issue and improving public safety measures.
He made these remarks while speaking to the media following a workshop held at the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT).
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