Sri Lanka: Women Defining Peace

A new CIDA-funded project that will be implemented jointly by WUSC, Cowater and Match International, Women Defining Peace (WDP) will address violence against Sri Lankan women-not merely in terms of reducing domestic violence, but by considering the social, political and economic circumstances that affect the likelihood of Sri Lankan women becoming victims of violence. For example, the project will examine:

• Sri Lankan women's status in society
• the country's militarized environment and increasing culture of violence
• power dynamics in relation to gender and violence against women.

Its ultimate goal is to help Sri Lankan women realize their full human rights by contributing to the eradication of gendered violence and the development of a sustainable peace.

WDP's position is that women themselves should be part of the solution-so in order to develop strateges to combat violence against women, the project will begin by consulting women in order to understand how they would define peace. The project will then create better strategies to prevent, intervene and advocate against gendered violence, integrating gender equality concerns and women's rights into peace-building and post-tsunami construction.

The project will also work to increase women's voice and influence in civil society organizations that are addressing peace, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

WDP will benefit a wide cross-section of women in Sri Lanka, including:

• women activists, women's organizations, and networks working to end gendered violence and promote peace
• women and girls in communities who are vulnerable to (or victims of) gendered violence
• households, social groups and communities (which will benefit from initiatives that promote peace and equality and work against violence)
• other civil society organizations and public sector stakeholders working on issues of violence and peace.