John Keells Foundation in collaboration with Bar Association Sri Lanka conducts WAVE session for Police Officers

Over 100 police officers from across the country, gathered at the police criminal records division in Colombo for an awareness session on Gender based violence and child abuse organized by John Keells Foundation in collaboration with the Bar Association Sri Lanka on the 1^st of March 2017. The session was organized as part of John Keells initiative Project WAVE (Working Against Violence through Education), combating gender-based violence and child abuse through education and awareness creation, commencing with the employees of the John Keells Group and designed to progressively encompass various vulnerable communities associated with the Group’s business locations and the general public. Police officers were selected due to their strategic importance in addressing such issues and ensuring effective and sensitive resolution.  The session was conducted by Hans Billimoria, Director of The Grassrooted Trust, who also covered the growing issue of sexual exploitation occurring online and via smartphones.  The response from the police was very encouraging with many sharing experiences of gender based violence and child abuse issues they had encountered. Two more sessions are currently being planned for police officers in Kalutara in Sinhala and Tamil medium.