EU-supported project to help IDPs

A project for awareness raising and access to human rights information and services for Internally Displaced Persons IDPs in the districts of Puttalam and Vavuniya has been launched.

Awareness programmes of a series of similar programmes included in the above project were held at Thattankulam, community hall at Vavuniya on May 2 and at Hithayathnagar community centre on May 5..

This is a project co - funded by the European Union under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) with a funding of 66,029.57 Euros (Rs.9.2 million) with 10% of the project costs financed by The Rural Development Foundation (RDF), the RDF said in a press release.

This project involves more than 1000 displaced families in Puttalam and Vavuniya districts who have been living in welfare centres for more than a decade.

“Violation of women’s rights, child rights and human rights in general are common among the families in the camps. Greater awareness of their fundamental rights and available remedial services could bring in a satisfactory change in their life. This project aims to develop an awareness of human rights, with emphasis on women’s rights and child rights against violence and to provide knowledge on how to seek, remedy through various organizations available,” RDF said.

The project includes six IDP welfare camps in Puttalam and three welfare camps in Vavuniya. Under this 111 awareness programmes are scheduled. Women living in the camps, children and community leaders are expected to participate in the awareness sessions during a period of six months.