Palaniyandy Sivakumar, aka Siva, Head of the Service Delivery Point in Nuwara Eliya, was named one of the Top 10 Champions of Diversity at the ceremony held at Taj Samudra Hotel this evening. It's no surprise to us--Siva has been dedicated to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion for years, and his work in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is particularly inspiring.

Siva is a strong advocate of SRHR for women and LGBTQI communities, particularly in the underserved estate sector, working towards combatting Sexual and Gender-based Violence, menstruation-related challenges, addressing mental health concerns, mitigating early marriages, preventing unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions within the tea plantation sector.

His strengths include collaborating with various entities, including the Regional Director of Health Services, District hospitals, Police Stations, District and Divisional Secretariats, and other government and non-governmental organizations. He has made substantial contributions to the well-being of Trans and cisgender women.
Functioning as a community trainer and sensitizer proficient in all local languages, Siva has conducted impactful trainings for diverse audiences, including school and university students, government officers, and policymakers. In 2015, he was able to lead the establishment of a Committee against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the district secretariat office, subsequently engaging in numerous initiatives to combat violence against women and the transgender community. His pivotal role in this Committee led to the establishment of a shelter for over 200 affected trans and cisgender women, fulfilling a longstanding community need, with support from the District Secretary. Under his leadership, FPA Sri Lanka also played a pivotal role in organizing a Gender Policy for the Nuwara Eliya District in 2022.

We are proud of Siva and recognize and celebrate his achievements and contributions, which have been a strength to FPA and the communities that he serves.