UNDP event today postponed due to COVID-19 crisis

The UNDP has postponed the launch of the Global Report on the 2020 Multidimensional Poverty Index in Sri Lanka which was to be held today (Monday) at 2 pm.
“All arrangements related to this event scheduled for October 5 were in strict adherence to COVID-19 related guidelines. However, in light of recent developments and in alignment with Government advisories pertaining to public gatherings, we regret to inform you that this event has now been postponed to a later date,” it said in an announcement.
The move came after the Government stepped in swiftly by announcing curfews on Sunday in areas in the district of Gampaha after two people, a mother and her daughter, had contracted the COVID-19 infection. All government and private schools including international ones have also been closed from Monday for the second term vacation, which was earlier scheduled to begin on Monday October 12.
Monday’s postponed event was set to feature Shehan Semasinghe, State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self-Employment, Business Development and Underutilized State Resources Development; Dr. Indu Bandara, Director General, Department of Census and Statistics; Robert Juhkam, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka; Tim Sutton, Representative, UNICEF Sri Lanka and Dr. Sabina Alkire, Director, Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative.(BS)