The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a resolution enabling the University of Jaffna to join an international collaboration under the Global Health Research Group Project on Violence against Women and Children.
The decision, presented by the Prime Minister in her capacity as Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, authorizes the university to enter into a four‑year agreement with the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom and 11 other foreign institutions.
The project, backed by Rs. 173.92 million in funding from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research, aims to strengthen responses to violence against women and children in Sri Lanka.
It will integrate sustainable community engagement and Survivor Panels into the local health system, while assessing health‑related issues linked to violence, evaluating its economic and social impacts, and identifying effective prevention strategies.
In addition, the initiative will facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity development among partner institutions, ensuring better‑trained professionals and stronger institutional responses.
The collaboration is expected to contribute significantly to national efforts to address violence against women and children, while positioning the University of Jaffna as a key partner in global health research. (Newswire)