The officials of the National Steering Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) met under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the Prime Minister

The officials of the National Steering Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) met under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the Prime Minister on Friday to discuss the current progress, gaps and challenges relating to SDG 02 (Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture) and SDG 05 (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment).

The Director General of the Sustainable Development Council (SDC) presented in detail, the current status, gaps and challenges relating to SDG 02 and SDG 05.

The presentation specifically focused on issues relating to food security assessed through the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (which measures the availability of safe and nutritious food throughout the year), as well as issues relating to post-harvest losses with an emphasis on reducing food losses in production and the supply chain. In order to address issues relating to post-harvest losses in the supply chain, it was decided to develop guidelines on minimizing post-harvest losses by the National Institute of Post-Harvest Management and share with the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security. Additionally as well as taking immediate measures to efficiently utilize the storage facility building at the Dambulla Economic Center.

The discussions also focused on issues relating to SDG 05 particularly on the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in both public and private spaces. This encompassed issues such as harassment in public transport, human trafficking, and the increased number of rape incidents reported involving under-aged girls in the recent past. The disproportionate levels of female unemployment were also discussed in detail. It was decided to initiate discussions with the Ministry of Justice to establish a mechanism for expeditiously concluding legal proceedings relating to child abuse cases. In addition, it was also decided to strengthen collaboration between the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, and the Ministry of Transport to formulate a program aimed at preventing sexual harassment and abuse in public transport. Steps were also proposed to be taken to incorporate measures to reduce the women's unemployment rate through the future educational reform programmes.

Attention was also placed on improving the data bases relating to SDG 02 and 05 to enable tracking of progress.

The meeting was attended by senior officers representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Post Harvest Management and others, Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Food Security and Ministries and the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs & Social Empowerment, Sri Lanka Women’s Bureau, National Child Protection Authority, National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, Department of Probation and Child Care Services, National Secretariat for Person with Disabilities, Department of Social Services, Ministry of Public Security, Sri Lanka Police Department, Register General’s Department, Ministry of Finance - National Planning Department and Department of Census and Statistics- as well as officials representing the relevant UN agencies such as WFP, FAO, UNICEF, UNFPA and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Sri Lanka.

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