How to Improve Back to School Programme in Sri Lanka

Back to school programme which is also known as the catch-up programme is a great initiative by the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the Compulsory Education Policy. Yet back to school programme has not been able to yield the expected results.

Does all Children have Equal Access to Education in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka boasts about the free education system in the country and high levels of literacy rates. No doubt they are great achievements. It is not only free access to education institutions including Universities that have contributed towards achievement of high levels in the Human Development Index, free text books, free uniforms, free mid-day meal for children in primary school, IT facilities and recreation facilities in schools, catch up classes are some of the initiatives to promote free quality education that we should appreciate.

Yet, does this education system ensure equal access to education for all children?

Sri Lankan’s Web-based Freedom of Expression Will Also Be Limited Soon

The Government is trying to limit the freedom of expression in the web to gain control of news websites. According to TRC sources specialists from China are due to visit the country soon to formulate firewalls. It will be made compulsory by the TRC for all news websites operating in the country to register with the Commission.


They are planning to adopt a similar system as followed by the Chinese Government to control information. According to the new system, news websites in the country should have to operate through an internet protocol address provided by the TRC. Meanwhile, the google search engine will also be blocked.

Funds for the new initiative in limiting freedom of expression will be taken from the Treasury on the basis of creating an internet super highway.

Freedom of Expression is one of the most important human right. Violations of other rights could be identified and expressed only if we have freedom of expression. Why is the Sri Lankan government trying to deny the right to freedom of expression?

Strengthen the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to Protect Human Rights

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka is suppose to be an independent Commission established under the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act No.21 of 1996; with a noble vision, strong mandate and wide powers to strengthen and protect human rights. But unfortunately currently we cannot say that we have an independent Human Rights Commission as the members are unconstitutional, political appointments made by the Sri Lankan President. According to the 17th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka members of the Commission should be selected by the constitutional council.


For the best interest of the country, it is necessary for us to strengthen the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka as an independent body with strong candidates to use its vast powers to protect and promote human rights.

Are Streets The Only Option for the Homeless?

Seeing people sleeping on the streets is a common site particularly in urban roads of Colombo. These people receive no attention of most by passers. In case if Police officers come across a person sleeping or begging in streets, they could be arrested according to the vagrants act. 


Thinking about the street dwellers, many questions came to my mind, for which I do not have proper answers-

Begging for Health

Right to health is a basic human right and Sri Lanka boasts of having a free health care system. Is the Sri Lankan health care system truely free and accessible for all? The picture dipicts an elderly person begging in front of a traffic post for an eye transplant.

Misusing Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka: Religious Conversion by Addressing Humanitarian Issues

The peaceful co-existence of religions in Sri Lanka is threatened by un-ethical conversions conducted by a few Christian religious missionaries and Christian faith based organizations. These missionaries and organizations try to un-ethically convert people from different faiths to Christianity by addressing humanitarian issues of vulnerablecommunities. Misusing religious freedom of the country for the purpose of un-ethical conversions is a root-cause for religious tensions.

We Need to Rescue Child Sex Workers in Sri Lanka

A child would never want to be a sex worker, if he or she had an option. It is the most margnialized and vulnerable children who become trafficked  as sex workers. Child sex workers do not have any hope about their futures. They dont have a chance to enjoy childhood. Life for a child sex worker is full of suffering.  Addressing issues of child sex workers is extremely risky and life threatening. Yet the children who are working in the sex industry badly need a helping hand to overcome the worst form of exploitation they are currently experiencing.

Protecting Victims of Trafficking in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a destination and source for trafficking mainly women and children for involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation (US Department of State: 2008) This article summerises the trafficking problems faced by Sri Lankans; prevention mechanisms, prosecution mechanisms and protection mechanisms adopted by the Sri Lankan Government to address trafficking issues; and effective recommendation to combat trafficking in Sri Lanka.

Is all child work bad?

All forms of child work is not bad. It is only the severe forms of child work which is considered as child labour could have dangerous and negative implications for children.

Transitional Justice and Women Combatants in Sri Lanka

Book on Transitional Justice and Women Combatants in Sri Lanka was the outcome of a challenging and interesting research project conducted by me as part of WISCOMP annual fellowship for special projects- 2005. The study looks at how Sri Lanka could successfully Disarm, Demobilize and Reintegrate (DDR) Sri Lankan Army and LTTE women combatants after the civil war of the country. Strategically planned out DDR process considering the needs and rights of the targeted community is an important aspect after an end of a war situation in order to ensure sustainable peace and reconciliation.

Is Abortion Wrong?

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo, resulting in or caused by its death (Dutt, T and Matthews, M.P.: 1998)

According to the Sri Lankan law, abortion is permitted only if there is a threat to woman’s life. It is not permitted if the pregnancy was caused due to rape, if there are fetal defects, reasons of physical and mental heath, socio-economic factors and on request. (Wikipedia: 2010)

By performing an abortion, the right to life of the fetus is denied. But in many a cases not allowing to perform an abortion deny the right of the woman to take decisions that relate to her body.

Juvenile Justice System in Sri Lanka

Juvenile justice is the criminal law applicable to children and young people, who are determined as not old enough to be held responsible for criminal acts.  Juvenile justice system in Sri Lanka as in any other country try to rehabilitate children who are under the perview of juvanile justice law rather than punishing them.

National Laws to Protect Rights of Children in Sri Lanka

National law in Sri Lanka has moved away from a position of exclusive faith in criminal processes to protect children to a more direct child- or victim-focused protective approach at the legislative and conceptual level (GOSL, 2008). National laws in Sri Lanka that cover child rights are as follows-