JICA and MOWCADZD launch training program for frontline officers working towards women empowerment

Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and Dry Zone Development (MOWCADZD) has launched the capacity building training program for Frontline Officers (FLOs) under technical cooperation by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Inauguration and launching of this in-country training program was conducted on 19 August in Palgahathanna Management Development Training Centre in Uva Province with the participation of MOWCADZD Secretary Darshana Senanayake, and senior officials from Women’s Bureau and JICA Sri Lanka Office. 

This program is a collaborative effort of JICA and MOWCADZD to improve the service delivery of FLOs who work for the women community in Sri Lanka. At the same time, JICA considers this initiative as one of JICA’s gender mainstreaming efforts to achieve gender equity and women empowerment in the country especially focusing on emerging regions where poverty and marginalisation still exist. JICA expects this initiative will contribute for the significant socio-economic development as well as starting point for future cooperation between the two countries on this area.  

Senanayake highlighted, “Training is an essential part of the capacity building process, and it is necessary to have continuous capacity building such as this training program for FLOs.” In addition, MOWCADZD considers utilising this training program as one of its monitoring tools to evaluate FLOs’ performance in the field after receiving this training program, and those who perform well in the future would be rewarded by providing further education or training opportunities particularly in the international arena.

This training program will primarily cover around 300 officers working under MOWCADZD in Northern, North Central, Eastern and Uva Provinces. The other seven programs in Monaragala, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa and Ampara will be conducted in rotation until October.