Australia supports Jaffna legal aid project and women’s intervention program

The Australian High Commissioner, HE Kathy Klugman, today handed over cheques worth in excess of Rs 20 million to two Sri Lankan community organisations, as part of the Australian Government’s Human Rights Small Grants Scheme (HRSGS).

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Ms Klugman said the two successful organisations, the Council of Public Policy and Women in Need, had “put forward exceptional proposals which sought to address two very important, yet separate, issues in Sri Lanka at this time.”

The Council of Public Policy (CPP) program involves a series legal training programs aimed at building local capacity and offering legal assistance - including on land title documentation - to facilitate the return and resettlement of Jaffna residents affected by the past conflict.  CPP’s program is being conducted in partnership with the Jaffna Legal Aid Centre.    

Women in Need’s (WIN) project will address domestic violence against women and will target communities across the country, including in Colombo, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Matara, Badulla, Puttulam and Jaffna.  As part of the program, WIN will offer psychological, legal and counselling services, as well as conducting sensitisation programs for local communities. 

Australia’s HRSGS is awarded annually to in-country organisations for activities aimed at promoting and protecting human rights in a direct and tangible way.  Ms Klugman said that “it is a highly competitive process, and the fact that these two organisations were awarded funds is a tribute to the work they are carrying out in the field of human rights”. 

A total of 36 projects valued at almost A$3 million were selected for funding under Australia’s 2009/10 HRSGS from countries across the Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.