Workshop on IDPs' human rights held in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 September 2004, 15:02 GMT]
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Wednesday held a one-day workshop under the Human Rights for Displaced People Project in Jaffna."UNICEF has focused its attention on children who have been deprived of their education due to war," said Ms Judith Bruno, UNICEF Jaffna Office Head addressing the workshop held at Jaffna Y.M.C.A Auditorium.

Project Co-ordinator Ms V.Velini presided.

UNICEF has been implementing several special education projects for children affected by the war through the Department of Education. UNICEF is of view these special projects are not sufficient for the educational development of those children, said Ms Judith Bruno.

UNICEF has taken steps to identify the needs of these children with the assistance of local non-governmental organizations. Participants of the workshop could also submit their proposals, which would give a boost to our efforts in this regard, Ms Judith Bruno said.

She further said the UNICEF has given more attention on children under the age of 18 who leave the LTTE. LTTE has also given an assurance to the UNICEF that it would not recruit underage children.

At the commencement of the workshop Jaffna district secretariat officials briefed the participants the projects they implement for the welfare of the internally displaced families in the district.