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UNFPA gears for second consecutive collaboration with Colombo Fashion Week
Thursday, 24 February 2022, COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Violence against women can happen to anyone, anywhere at any time. The evidence shows that one in four (24.9%) women in Sri Lanka have experienced physical and/or sexual violence since age 15 in their lifetime (Women’s Wellbeing Survey, 2019).
Across the world and in Sri Lanka, UNFPA supports Governments and women’s organizations to strengthen their response to violence against women and girls. Fashion, and Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) in particular, presents a powerful medium to advocate for a violence-free Sri Lanka for all women and girls. Apart from the opportunity for advocacy, the fashion industry consists of a workforce that is overwhelmingly represented by women. In light of this, the partnership for 2022 goes a step further from the Fashion Week in itself and includes sensitization on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) for the organizers, designers, models and crew of Colombo Fashion Week to ensure that all are respected and treated with dignity.
Speaking about this, Representative of UNFPA in Sri Lanka Kunle Adeniyi stated, “Fashion is how we present ourselves to the world but fashion is also a platform that can present the issues that affect women. Colombo Fashion Week gives us an opportunity to speak to people, especially in the fashion value chain, from the producers to the consumers, to make everybody an agent of change.”
Speaking about CFW, Ajai Vir Singh stated, “We are pleased to have UNFPA onboard with us for the second consecutive year. At CFW, we are committed to ensure that the fashion fraternity understands and prioritises social and environmental wellbeing and as such, we are happy to have UNFPA with us to address the issue on violence against women and girls. We consider women as an important fashion stakeholder and they must be respected in every way. This also aligns with our new garment evaluation tool – the Responsible Meter”
UNFPA also continues its partnership with Fashion Designer Amilani Perera for the third consecutive year in 2022 to raise awareness on this issue through curated collections which will be showcased this year on Day 2 of CFW.
UNFPA advocates for a world free of violence against women and girls and a place where everyone has access to sexual and reproductive health services and information, so women can make informed choices about their body and life.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
