COLOMBO—Sri Lanka last week launched its first medico-legal guidelines for examining and caring for survivors of sexual abuse and reporting the abuse to law enforcement authorities. UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, played a leading role in developing the guidelines along with the country’s Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice and College of Forensic Pathology.

The human rights-based guidelines were adapted from the Guidelines on Clinical Management of Rape Survivors developed by WHO in partnership with UNFPA. They were published and launched on 27 May after years of preparation including numerous consultations with medical and judicial experts.

In the past, procedures for addressing sexual abuse often neglected survivors’ health. Now, while punishment of offenders will continue to be pursued, priority will be given to ensuring survivors’ health, dignity and psychological well-being. The new guidelines set standards for examining survivors in a uniform manner, providing quality forensic and health services, and improving health care workers’ knowledge and skills of through teaching and training.

For more information, contact:

Lankani Sikurajapathy, sikurajapathy@unfpa.org, +94 11 258 0840.