UNDP supports DNA Lab of Govt Analyst Department

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka handed over 17 pieces of critical equipment to strengthen the DNA laboratory of the Government Analyst Department, including an RT PCR machine, a PCR system, and a Crime Lite Serology Kit, to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the laboratory where evidence relating to SGBV and other crimes is concerned.

This initiative was a part of UNDP’s “Ensuring Justice for Victim Survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka” project funded by the Government of Canada and jointly implemented by UNFPA Sri Lanka.

The equipment was handed over by = Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka, to Kamani Perera, Government Analyst, in the presence of Harshana Nanayakkara, Minister of Justice, and Isabelle Martin, High Commissioner of Canada for Sri Lanka and Maldives, along with representatives from partner organizations present at the handover.

The equipment was procured after a comprehensive study of the existing processes of the DNA laboratory with the aim of supporting the accurate detection, analysis, and profiling of biological evidence, thereby strengthening the scientific basis of judicial proceedings. Together, these technologies form an integrated forensic workflow for SGBV investigations.

Their combined use enhances the accuracy, reliability, and evidentiary strength of forensic DNA analysis, ultimately contributing towards the expedited clearance of the existing backlog of cases and accelerating the dispensation of justice.