News
UNFPA appeals for $10.7 Mn to meet urgent needs of 2 Mn Lankan women and girls
UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, has launched an appeal for US$ 10.7 million to deliver lifesaving healthcare to more than 2 million women and girls in Sri Lanka in the next six months.
A UNFPA release said: Sri Lanka is experiencing its worst socio-economic crisis since independence. The country’s once robust healthcare system is teetering on the edge of collapse amid debilitating power shortages and a lack of critical supplies, equipment and medicine. This is severely impacting the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services, including maternal health care and access to contraception. Existing protection mechanisms for women and girls in need, including survivors of gender-based violence, have also been severely compromised. A UN survey in May 2022 indicates women and girls’ vulnerability to violence is increasing at the same time as services, including health, police, shelter, and hotlines, are declining due to a lack of financial resources.
“The current economic crisis in Sri Lanka has far-reaching consequences for women and girls’ health, rights and dignity,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director. “Right now, UNFPA’s priority is to respond to their unique needs and safeguard their access to lifesaving healthcare and protection services.”
Years of effort have brought steady gains for Sri Lankan women and girls. Some 99 percent of women give birth at health facilities, assisted by medical personnel, but this achievement is now under threat. An estimated 215,000 women are currently pregnant, including 11,000 adolescent girls, and around 145,000 women will deliver in the next six months. Approximately 60,000 women may require access to surgical interventions. UNFPA is providing cash and voucher assistance to pregnant women to support access to health facilities – and continues to build the capacity and skills of the extensive midwifery force across the country – but with infrastructure and transportation challenges, childbirth could be a life-threatening, if not fatal, experience for pregnant women unable to access skilled care.
“UNFPA is committed to meeting the critical health and protection needs of women and girls,” said Kunle Adeniyi, UNFPA representative in Sri Lanka. “Our focus is to strengthen sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence response services to reduce the long-term repercussions of the current crisis.”
As part of its appeal, UNFPA plans to:
Distribute lifesaving medicines, equipment and supplies, including for emergency and obstetric care and the clinical management of rape and domestic violence, to meet the priority reproductive health needs of 1.2 million people.
Supply 10,000 delivery, maternity and dignity kits to women and girls in need, including persons living with disabilities.
Provide more than 37,000 women with cash and voucher assistance to access reproductive health and protection services.
Ensure 500,000 women receive information on warning signs during pregnancy.
Strengthen the capacity of 1,250 midwives to support deliveries in primary health care settings, and for the clinical management of rape.
Support 10 shelters to expand services for survivors of gender-based violence.
Provide 286,000 women and girls with information on gender-based violence prevention, and available services and support.
Support 12,500 women with livelihood programming to reduce the risks of gender-based violence.
Provide 4,000 adolescent girls with menstrual hygiene supplies.
Lead and coordinate activities to strengthen prevention, protection and referral systems for survivors of gender-based violence.
With over 50 years in Sri Lanka, UNFPA is leading efforts to protect women and girls’ rights to give birth safely and to live free from multiple forms of gender-based violence, coordinating interventions with UN agencies, and a network of international and local partners. UNFPA has already procured essential reproductive health medicines and supplies and distributed hygiene items, including sanitary pads, to women and girls in need. Cash and voucher assistance is being provided to pregnant and lactating women to ensure uninterrupted access to health facilities for safe pregnancy and deliveries. UNFPA also continues to support seven shelters across the country.
UNFPA’s response is part of the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan launched by the UN in Sri Lanka which calls for US$ 47 million to support 1.7 million people between June and September 2022.
The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA) has backed the campaign by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka against the government’s effort’s to extend the retirement ages of judges of the Superior Courts.
T.L Yap, President of LAWASIA, in a statement dated 26 June, has expressed concern over the NPP government’s move in the wake of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent statement in Parliament on the delay in making the appointments.
The text of the statement: “LAWASIA shares the concern expressed by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on 25th May 2026 in a letter to His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka regarding the prospect of the Government of Sri Lanka introducing an amendment to the Constitution which would increase the retirement age of the Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
LAWASIA supports the sentiments expressed by BASL in its letter of 25 May, namely: “Extending the retirement age of the sitting Judges of these Courts at this point of time is likely to be viewed by the public as a blatant attempt to interfere with the judiciary… The independence of the Judiciary and the public confidence reposed in it, are indispensable pillars of the rule of law and the democratic framework of (Sri Lanka).
In that regard it is of paramount importance that the Judiciary must not only remain independent in fact but also must be seen by the public to be wholly independent, impartial, and free from even the slightest perception of influence, favour, accommodation, or impropriety”
The Constitution of Sri Lanka recognizes the independence of the judiciary and its importance in preserving and maintaining the rule of law. The retirement age of senior judges is presently fixed by Article 107(5) of the Constitution. Constitutional amendment in any jurisdiction is a serious matter which must not be undertaken lightly. LAWASIA’s principal concern is that the proposed constitutional amendment has the appearance of an ad hoc initiative without adequate public consultation. This in turn has the potential to undermine public confidence in the judiciary.
An independent, competent and respected judiciary is the cornerstone of any democracy. LAWASIA has long advocated the fundamental importance of this principle.
The essence of LAWASIA’s formal position in relation to the independence of the judiciary lies in the Beijing Statement of Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary in the LAWASIA Region, adopted at the Conference of Chief Justices held in Beijing in 1997 and subsequently signed by 32 Chief Justices from across the Asia-Pacific.
The Beijing Statement in essence emphasizes the fundamental importance of the independence of the judiciary, and comments on a range of related issues including the objectives of the judiciary, the appointment of judges, the tenure of judges, judicial conditions and the relationship between the judiciary and the executive.
Endorsing the concerns raised by another international organization, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, LAWASIA accordingly calls upon the authorities in Sri Lanka to:
• refrain from proceeding with the proposed constitutional amendments seeking to increase the
retirement age of members of the Judiciary;
• resist piecemeal and ad hoc amendments to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
• adhere to due process of consultation and stakeholder engagement in constitutional reform;
• desist from taking any steps which would undermine confidence in the Judiciary and
irreparably diminish the independence of the judiciary; and
• ensure adherence to the rule of law and respect for the independence of the judiciary.
A total of 7,300 young people, below the age of 21, had been arrested on suspicion since the launch of the nationwide ‘Ratama Ekata’ anti-drug operation, DIG in charge of the Police Narcotics Bureau, Ashoka Dharmasena, told The Island yesterday.
DIG Dharmasena said the suspects included about 150 females under the age of 21. He added that more than 214,000 suspects had been taken into custody since the commencement of the national anti-narcotics operation.
The operation was launched with the primary objectives of disrupting the supply of narcotics across the country, reducing the demand for illegal drugs and rehabilitating those addicted to narcotic substances, he said.
DIG Dharmasena said law enforcement authorities had so far seized more than 15,000 kilogrammes of narcotics, including cannabis, during the ongoing operation.
He also noted that police had achieved considerable success in intercepting narcotics smuggled into the country by sea, contributing significantly to efforts to curb the illicit drug trade.
The Police Narcotics Bureau said the nationwide operation would continue as part of the government’s broader strategy to dismantle drug trafficking networks and minimise the social impact of narcotics.
by Norman Palihawadane ✍️
Leader of the Abhinava Nivahal Peramuna, Amit Weerasinghe, was yesterday ordered to be remanded until July 3 by Teldeniya Magistrate Kamal Sanjaya Jayatilake over allegations that he defrauded state officials and businessmen of approximately Rs. 120 million by promising to construct cabana holiday resorts in Ella and Digana.
The suspect was produced before court by the Teldeniya Police Headquarters following his re-arrest on fresh complaints. The Magistrate also ordered an investigation into the suspect’s assets and properties, imposed a travel ban, and directed authorities to freeze his bank accounts.
The Teldeniya Police informed the Magistrate that 26 complaints had been received against the suspect so far and that investigations had revealed a large-scale financial fraud.The Magistrate further directed the police to hand over investigations into the alleged fraud to the CID in Colombo by the next court date.
Weerasinghe had previously been granted bail by court but was arrested again following the receipt of additional complaints.
Investigations are being conducted by Teldeniya Police Headquarters OIC CI D. M. Chandrapala and Teldeniya Division SSP Harsha Amarasinghe under the supervision of Central Province Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake and DIG Sudath Masinghe.
by SK Samaranayake ✍️
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