On March 1, 2024, two impactful Town Hall Meetings took place at the District Secretariats in Vavuniya and Mullaitivu separately, bringing together government officials, community members, and activists to address local concerns, with a special focus on issues affecting women. These significant gatherings were jointly chaired by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Northern Provincial Council, and the respective District Secretariats.
In Vavuniya, the meeting was chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Northern Provincial Council, Mr.P. Vageshan, and the District Secretary, Mr. P.A. Sarathchandra, while in Mullaitivu, the Secretary of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Northern Provincial Council, Mr.P. Vageshan chaired the meeting and the Additional District Secretary, Mr. S.Gunapalan, took the co-chair. Mr. Selvin Ireneuss, a respected former government official, was facilitating the discussions, setting the stage for constructive conversations.
Mr. M. Prapaharan, Project Manager of Chrysalis, eloquently emphasized the vital role of Town Halls as a platform for citizen engagement in socio-economic development and as a proactive forum for addressing community challenges. Introducing the proposed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for future Town Hall meetings, he welcomed suggestions as the SOP continues to evolve. The event concluded with a commitment to follow up on the raised points and provide updates in the upcoming meetings.
These impactful Town Hall meetings were made possible through the support of Chrysalis, under the project “Promoting Peaceful, Inclusive, and Resilient Communities through Women-led Solidarity Forums (BRIDGE)” in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, generously funded by the EU.
