A panel discussion to mark the UN-declared 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence on 9 December 2020, Wednesday, 03:30-05:00 p.m.

This forum will feature an online discussion of the panelists, projected to both a local and global audience, via Microsoft Teams. The panel discussion will cast live on pertinent and relevant topics of interest:

1. Gender equality and leadership in response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic – how women can adapt to the ‘new normal’ and  addressing the overall  implications of the pandemic, its effect on the lives and livelihoods of  women and girls, as well as post-COVID livelihood opportunities
2. Implications of lockdowns and curfews - vulnerabilities of women and girls to gender-based violence, how to engage and educate men to eliminate violence  
3. Ensuring a holistic approach to foster the wellbeing of women and girls
4. The language to adopt when  speaking about women and girls within the Sri Lankan economy, and especially in light of COVID-19
The panelists are Pubudu De Zoysa - District Governor – 2022-23 for Sri Lanka & Maldives, Rotary International District 3220, Hon. Rehaan Wijeratne Jayawickreme, Chairman of the Weligama Urban Council, Rebecca Surenthiraraj – Senior Researcher, Social Scientists Association (SSA), and Shyamala Gomez - Founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Equality and Justice (CEJ) moderated by SCORE Senior Technical Specialist Dr. Dayani Panagoda.

The topics of discussion are key concerns of the SCORE activity as it aims to increase opportunities for youth and women to exercise leadership and agency to shape the outcomes of their lives, through participatory planning.