Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organised a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Province in February 2021. The programme was held at the Hotel Ovia in Vavuniya.

The training was conducted with a special focus on the following areas:

Discussion on the important areas to including a strategic plan during pandemics.
Conceptualizing gender-based violence through a role-play by the participants.
Preparation of an action plan on how to mitigate gender-based violence in their communities at provincial level and national level.
Introducing the ‘buddying concept’ and assigning ‘best buddies’ appropriately.
Registration of women with disabilities to the ‘Be-Safe’ mobile application.

**Conducting the session with translations**

(Honoured, Deshabandu) Manique Gunaratne
Manager – Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre
The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon

Specialised Training, Women with Disabilities

INCLUSIVE RESPONSES TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

October 7, 2021 Manique

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organised a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in North Central Province in February 2021. The programme was held at the Sahana Association for the Disabled in Anuradhapura.

Among the areas covered were:

Mechanisms behind how violence intersects with gender and disability.
Reflection on caregiver’s experience on gender-based violence faced by women with disabilities and awareness on the role and responsibilities of caregivers during pandemics.
Challenges and methods to overcome these barriers during the pandemic by women with disabilities concerning gender-based violence.
Educating on the support systems available for women with disabilities related to gender-based violence locally.

**Trainer & The Sign Language Interpreter**

**Session on the services available on GBV**

Manique Gunaratne
Web: http://www.employers.lk

Specialised Training, Women with Disabilities

MITIGATING GENDER-BASED AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE FOR WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

September 29, 2021 Manique

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organised a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID Pandemic in Eastern Province in February 2021. The programme was held at the National Institute for Social Development (NISD) in Ampara. Women with and without disabilities and men with and without disabilities were trained as training of trainers (Tot). Some of the areas covered during this programme were:

Introduction to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH).
Understanding on SRH and Sexual violence for women with disabilities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Educating on Family Planning, Subfertility and Abortion for women with disabilities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prevention of Sexual Violence for women with disabilities during the Covid-19 pandemic and instructions for legal assistance.

Manique Gunaratne
Fax – 0094112867946

Specialised Training, Women with Disabilities

BUILDING A SUPPORT NETWORK TO PREVENT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE FOR WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

June 27, 2021 Manique

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organized a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northwestern Province in January 2021. The programme was organized with the support of the District Disability Forum in Puttalam and was held at the District Secretariat Office in Puttalam. This project is conducted at the provincial level and the national level. A support network was built with 82 organizations to support during an emergency or in a similar type of pandemic situation in the future.

51 women with disabilities and 10 men with disabilities were introduced among 30 women with non-disabilities and 10 men with non-disabilities under the “Best budding” concept (companion) to ensure the safety and well-being of persons with disabilities against gender-based violence.
Women with disabilities received the opportunity to join and get eligibility for the ‘Be-Safe’ mobile app via the Android operating system.
280 hygiene kits which consist of sanitary essentials such as masks, sanitisers, sanitary pads, washing powder, soap etc. were distributed with the sponsorship of UNFPA and Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka.

**Donating a White Cane to a Visually Impaired Person**

**Donating White Canes to Organisations to be Distributed Among Members**

**Introduction to Gender-based Violence Session**

#Manique Gunaratne
Country Representative – World Disability and Rehabilitation Professionals’ Association (WDRPA)

Women with Disabilities

Mobilizing Women Leaders with Disabilities for Inclusive Response to Gender-based Violence

June 24, 2021 Manique

Watch the video at:
https://youtu.be/6oaBLP6uv9s

Manique Gunaratne
Manager – Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre
The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon

Specialised Training, Women with Disabilities

SUPPORTING WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AT THE GRASS-ROOTS LEVEL ON GBV

June 10, 2021 Manique

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organized a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Southern Province in January 2021. The programme was held at the Equality Based Community Support & Training (ECSAT) in Galle. Exceptional accomplishments of these programmes are; 51 women with disabilities, 30 women with non-disabilities, 10 men with disabilities and 10 men with non-disabilities (total of 101) ToTs were trained in the physical environment on mobilizing women leaders with disabilities to for inclusive responses to Gender-based Violence during the COVID pandemic. It was conducted in all 09 provinces of Sri Lanka and 01 national-level programmes to reach precise grass root levels within communities of Sri Lanka.

27 women with disabilities, 13 women with non-disabilities, 05 men with disabilities & 04 men with non-disabilities were trained virtually on the same topic as well.

Manique Gunaratne
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMBhDQ516xwVr86zKLM1HUw

Specialised Training, Women with Disabilities

BEST BUDDIES FOR WOMEN WITH DISABILITY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

June 5, 2021 Manique

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organized a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sabaragamuwa Province in January 2021. The programme was held at Sri Ramya Reception Hall in Ratnapura. The provincial-level programmes were structured to have consultations with stakeholders and resource persons, Promoting “Be-Safe” App (This app will help women with disabilities to be safe and get information and peer support in Covid period and emergency), Production of GBV video, Communication materials: leaflets, social-media posts & videos, radio programs, capacity building of TOT in Sexual and Reproductive Health to minimize the Gender-Base Violence and building a network support system.

35 women with a physical disability, 22 hearing impaired women, 2 women with a learning disability, 17 vision impaired women and 2 women with psychosocial disability benefitted through physical and virtual training from the grassroots level. 43 women with non-disability and 15 men with non-disability were also sensitized on the prevention of gender-based violence during the Covid-19 pandemic. Organizations working for Persons with Disabilities, Civil Organizations, Government Departments, Ministries, Women Ministry, Human Rights Organizations, Women Networks, Women’s Organizations, Universities, Research Institutes, Police Department, Embassies, Legal Organizations, Mental Health Organizations, Media, Sexual & Reproductive Health Organizations, USA Organizations, UN Organizations, Rural Development Organizations andSchools supported this initiative to support women with a disability during Covid-19 pandemic.

**Hearing-impaired Participants with a Sign Language Interpreter**

**Sexually Transmitted Diseases During the Covid-19 Session in Progress**

**Resource Person and Sign Language Interpreter**

**What is Gender-based Violence Session in Progress**

**Cause of Gender-based Violence Session in Progress**

Manique Gunaratne
Viber: 0094779571918

Specialised Training, Women with Disabilities

PROMOTING INCLUSIVE GBV SERVICES AND PROGRAMMES IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSES

May 27, 2021 Manique

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organised a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Central Province in January 2021. The programme was organised with the support of the “We for Our Rights” organisation in the Kandy district. The programme was held at the Centre for Handicapped in Kandy. These provincial-level programmes aim to build or strengthen partnerships between non-disability specific development organizations, government, and women leaders with a disability to promote inclusive GBV services and programmes in COVID-19 pandemic responses.

**The Group at the End of the Training**

**The Project Team with the Sign Language Interpreter**

**Sexually Transmitted Diseases Session**

Manique Gunaratne
FaceBook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000521211893