As Sri Lankans continue to suffer the effects of the economic crisis and varied human rights abuses, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has made clear his willingness to use force against people who protest…
Edwin Ariyadasa, born on December 3, 1922, would have turned 100 this past weekend. While he was a giant and a pioneer in journalism in Sri Lanka, this reflection is not about…
Despite having a high literacy rate, free education and good humanitarian development indicators, Sri Lankan society’s attitudes towards the disabled are still mired in the past although the country has 1.4 million…
Sri Lanka is aiming to end AIDS by 2030 in accordance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The government has taken many positive measures in the fight against AIDS including educating people…
Recently an attempt to prompt Sri Lanka forward into the 21st century was stymied. On November 21 some female school teachers posted photographs of themselves on social media dressed in their interpretation…
A statement made by a teachers trade union has opened up another social debate. This is about the female teachers’ school attire. The union points out that just like in any other…
They are a small, tight knit community held together by their shared suffering and insurmountable difficulties. Ever since the start of the 1983 civil war, their lives have been marked by tragedy…
“We have not abandoned our people, neither will we do so.” Mahinda Rajapaksa (Budget 2023, second reading debate) The seminal event of the 2023 Budget cycle was not Budget 2023. The Budget…
In the lead up to the September session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) the Government of Sri Lanka floated the proposal of establishing a truth and reconciliation mechanism (TRC).…
There has been a positive change in Sri Lanka in the past 5 to 10 years in the recognition of the rights of women and children. This is the result of the…
Human rights defenders, journalists, families of the disappeared and people remembering their dead are continually being harassed and monitored by intelligence services, military and police in the North. Although the war ended…
Child sexual abuse and exploitation have devastating and enduring impacts and affect children from all socioeconomic backgrounds. However, research indicates that a number of groups such as LGBTQ youth, children with physical…
Chandrakumari whips out her smart phone and prods it sharply with one finger. She wants to display the website that says Sri Lankan Tamil girls are being held as sex slaves in…
Brutality and corruption in Sri Lanka’s law enforcement are perennial issues. However with the government coming under increasing scrutiny, the cracks in the already fractured system are in the spotlight. Recent developments…
This year the theme for Universal Children’s Day is equality and inclusion for every child. Every child regardless of class, color, creed or ethnicity is protected by the UN Convention on the…
