News
UNFPA estimates one in five Lankans will be over 60 by 2030
It is estimated that by 2030, one in five people in Sri Lanka will be above the age of 60, with women making up the majority as they on average outlive their male counterparts, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka said yesterday.
It said that in Sri Lanka, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services are often inaccessible to persons living with disabilities due to barriers such as physical, financial, social, and psychological in nature.
While major progress has been made in the health sector over the years, challenges still exist in delivering comprehensive, non-discriminatory and client-oriented SRH services as SRH remains controversial and contested in many countries. Age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, economic status, social class, and other social, cultural and economic barriers pose major challenges to implementation of SRH care. The current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and discrimination of vulnerable groups, making their access to SRH and GBV-related services often challenging when they are needed most.
UNFPA in Sri Lanka once again partnered with the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) to organize a panel discussion at the SLMA International Medical Congress on the topic “Rights-based approach to delivering comprehensive SRH services for All in the new normal”. The session explored the accessibility of health care services for ALL in the context of quality enhancement with a specific focus on most left behind groups in our society.
In her opening remarks, UNFPA Representative in Sri Lanka, Ms. Ritsu Nacken said: “The on-going pandemic brought the issue of equity and equality to light more clearly than ever before. We must pay much more attention to social determinants of health, and equal access to quality SRH services has to be part of the universal health coverage.”
Professor Susan Sawyer stated that “Adolescents have the least access to health care of any age group – and that was before COVID-19! Given that adolescents’ unmet needs for mental health and sexual health care are greater than any other time in life, this is simply not acceptable”.
Looking at the aspect of maternal Health, Professor Hemantha Senanayake stated that “Sri Lanka has achieved much in the area of maternal and child health by focusing on the delivery of safety. However, indifference, ignorance and prejudices on the part of care providers are impeding the client’s experience of care. The time has come to take a more client-centric approach to service delivery.”
International expert and activist for the persons living with disabilities community, Ms. Tanzila Khan said “Family planning is a life time return for people and it is very important to involve everyone in this mission. Let’s join hands and bring more power to the work that all of us are doing to promote better health outcomes for all through involving right based approach.”
Dr Suchitra Dalvie stated that “Who do our bodies belong to? Our governments, our families, our country? If our bodies do indeed belong to our own selves, then we are the only ones who should decide what to do with them. Whether it is who we choose to love or have sex with or whether we choose to continue a pregnancy or not. That is what bodily autonomy means!”
The panel discussion followed the spirit of the Nairobi Summit, which marked the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in November last year. At the Nairobi Summit, the governments reaffirmed their commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action to ensure that all people have access to quality, comprehensive SRH care and that reproductive rights for all are upheld. The panel highlighted that rights and choices for all are a fundamental part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Sri Lanka Medical Association is the national professional medical association in Sri Lanka, which brings together medical practitioners of all grades and all branches of medicine. It is the oldest professional medical association in Asia and Australasia, with a proud history that dates back to 1887.
UNFPA is the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, that has been supporting the Government of Sri Lanka for close to 50 years in ensuring every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
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Landslide RED warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions of Ududumbara, Nildadndahinna and Walapane
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued RED warnings to the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours effective from 0900 hrs today [09th January].
Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Badulla, Meegahakiwula, Hali_Ela, Passara and Lunugala in the Badulla district, Minipe in the Kandy district, Ambanganga Korale, Ukuwela, Rattota, Naula and Laggala_Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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A Policy is being formulated to ensure Child Protection in the use of Technology — Prime Minister
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a policy is currently being formulated to ensure child protection in the use of technology.
The Prime Minister made this statement on Thursday (08) in Kandy while briefing the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters on the issue that has arisen regarding the Grade 6 English module. Thereafter, printed copies of all modules were presented to the Mahanayake Theros.
Earlier on Thursday (08), the Prime Minister visited the Malwathu Viharaya in Kandy and met the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Nayaka Thero, the Mahanayake of the Malwathu Chapter, where she explained the error that had occurred in the first print run of the English module for Grade 6 .
The Mahanayake Theros emphasized that education is a sensitive subject and that such matters should be handled with greater sensitivity and proper oversight. They further advised that a formal investigation should be conducted and that education reforms should be carried forward in a systematic manner.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister visited the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya and met the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, where she clarified the error related to the English module.
The Mahanayake Thero noted that education reforms are a timely necessity and should be implemented with due oversight and careful review and also pointed out that there are broader issues in Sri Lanka regarding the use of technology, which are evident in the manner in which modern tools such as AI technologies are being used on social media.
Clarifying the issue Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated,
“We have appointed a committee to look into this issue, and based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Education (NIE), steps were taken to remove the relevant lesson. In addition, all printed copies of the relevant module have been stamped, and no module has been distributed to schoolchildren. A formal investigation into this matter has been initiated by the Ministry, and a complaint has also been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department.
At the same time, we are in the process of formulating a policy on child protection in the use of technology”.
Thereafter, addressing the media and responding to the’ questions raised by journalists, the Prime Minister stated:
“The Opposition is attempting to use this national task for their own political advantage. However, many in society have expressed their views on the issues that have arisen in a positive manner, with the objective of identifying and correcting mistakes. The government has decided to move forward with education reforms by recognizing the error that have occurred and rectifying them. We will take the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition as an opportunity to further advance dialogue on education reforms”
The occasion was graced by the Most Venerable Anunayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Nayaka Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Muruddeniye Dhammarakkhita Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Malwathu Chapter, Venerable Mahawela Rathanapala Thero; Members of Parliament Thushari Jayasinghe and Thanura Dissanayake; Mayor of Kandy Chandrasiri Wijenayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; and Secretary to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union in Central Province D. D. Wimalaweera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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The deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours
A RED warning for a deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka has been issued at 01.00 a.m. on 09 January 2026 for the period until 01.00 a.m. 10 January 2026 by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, of the Department of Meteorology.
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka (At 01:00 a.m. on Jan 9th, 2026 located about 200 km East of Pottuvil) is very likely to intensify further and move west-northwestwards towards the coast of Sri Lanka between Pottuvil and Trincomalee in the evening today (9th January 2026.) The system is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm
during the next 24 hours.
Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance.
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