News
New campaign launched to tackle harmful speech and promote social cohesion
46% of online harmful speech targets women
A public awareness campaign titled “UNDO Doesn’t Work in Real Life” was launched last week to address the growing threat of harmful speech and misinformation, while fostering empathy, accountability, and responsible storytelling in Sri Lanka.
This joint campaign is a collaborative initiative by the United Nations in Sri Lanka together with the Ministry of Health and Mass Media and is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF in Sri Lanka, with support from the UN Sri Lanka SDG Fund.
Held in Colombo, the launch event saw the participation of Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni, Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media; Marc-André Franche, Resident Coordinator, United Nations in Sri Lanka; Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP Sri Lanka; and Christian Skoog, Representative, UNICEF Sri Lanka alongside senior ministry officials, journalists, civil society actors, and media professionals.
Commenting on the effects of dangerous speech, Deputy Minister Dr. Wijemuni said: “The power to combat hate speech misinformation and disinformation does not lie only with the government, tech companies and journalists, it lies also with the people. Let us work together to strengthen the policies to combat online hate speech and misinformation.”
The centrepiece of the campaign is a series of short videos, developed using real-time data from Sri Lanka’s online and offline spaces. These stories reflect the very real consequences of dangerous speech on individuals and communities, particularly women, youth, and marginalized groups.
Marc-André Franche, the United Nations Resident Coordinator highlighted the UN Secretary-General’s Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech which provides a clear framework to counter hate while upholding freedom of expression—a balance that is critical in a rapidly polarizing global and national media landscape in which greater responsibility is placed on governments, civil society, media and individual users to navigate online harm: “The rise in online harmful speech, particularly during politically sensitive periods, is a disturbing trend we must confront together”, stated Franche.
According to the UN Early Warning Brief (February 2025), 46% of online harmful speech still targets women, despite a 22% month-on-month drop in total harmful content. These trends reinforce the urgent need for public awareness, especially around the gendered impacts of disinformation and hate speech.
“In the digital world, you can press ‘undo’ — but in real life, the damage caused by harmful speech is ingrained in someone’s hearts and minds, and often irreversible,” said Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka. “We hope the media will carry this message forward to enhance awareness amongst the public on the unintended and intended consequences of harmful speech, and promote responsible dialogue towards social cohesion.”
“As UNICEF we have taken several actions to empower communities and future generations. We are equipping young minds with skills to engage in safe internet use and nurture critical thinking skills to recognize, challenge, and reject false and harmful language before it takes root”, said Christian Skoog, UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka. “In addition, UNICEF is working with grassroots organizations and religious leaders to actively prevent and counter hate speech and misinformation in their communities”, he added.
The campaign which will run on mainstream media and digital outlets aims to spark national conversation, build digital literacy, and encourage responsible storytelling with media professionals playing a central role in carrying the message to the public.
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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