In response to the growing incidence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)  in the Ratnapura district, Women in Need, a non-governmental organization dedicated to addressing all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls in Sri Lanka by providing counselling and legal services for over 30 years, opened its seventh regional centre recently.

With crisis centres established in Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa, Colombo, Matara and Jaffna districts, WIN established its seventh Centre in Ratnapura with funding support extended from USAID. 
The USAID-funded project Win Against Violence commenced on October 1, 2021 and continues till September 2026. Through the activities that are undertaken by this project, WIN hopes to address harmful gender norms and delve into the root causes of SGBV.   

When asked why WIN chose Ratnapura to establish its seventh Crisis Centre Rashmi Sathanandan, Project Manager of the USAID-funded project at WIN said that according to existing research data, it is evident that Ratnapura is a district with very high rates of SGBV but very few local organizations offering services to victims, leaving a large gap in services and human rights protection for victims of SGBV, who are disproportionately women, children, and LGBTIQ+ people.  “SGBV continues to be an issue that is not spoken out loud as women themselves are not aware of it. It is a battle that women endure in silence throughout their life cycle and we at WIN want all women to know that we are here to hear you and help you out.” 

The Baseline Study conducted by WIN through the project in 2022 also revealed that 67.5% of respondents from the Ratnapura district endured physical harassment at the hands of a family member. 
“There were several cases referred to WIN from the Ratnapura district. Some of these clients were referred by the Police. But we observed that there is a cycle of violence which repeats without preventive solutions.” Following a series of awareness programmes, WIN subsequently received cases from the District Secretariat and several other government bodies. “We then started getting cases from the community itself,” she added.

Counselling and legal services at WIN are offered free of charge. Any client can walk into the new office and seek support. 

Women and girls who want support can reach out to WIN through the 24/7 hotline number 077 567 65 55, visit our Ratnapura centre located at 29/3, Hidellana, Ratnapura or call the centre via 0452121860. 
In order to achieve its goal of a violence-free society, WIN collaborates with key stakeholders in society, such as policymakers, law enforcement officers, medical officers, and middle-level government officers to sensitize and advocate for necessary changes.  Service provision is a central component of WIN’s work under this project and its benefits will reach survivors directly.  

For years, government officials, law enforcement, and hospitals in Ratnapura have advocated for WIN to expand services to the district. By opening a new Crisis Centre, WIN will be strengthening the protection of human rights by extending access to legal and counselling services for SGBV survivors.