Sri Lanka

Understanding the dynamics of peace and conflict in the country, Search for Common Ground Sri Lanka works to promote inclusion, diversity and collaborative action for sustainable peace in Sri Lanka. Our work is planned around four main strategic objectives:

• Promote cooperative engagement across traditional dividing lines for an inclusive Sri Lankan identity

• Promote participation and inclusion of marginalized communities for sustainable and equitable development

• Develop capacities of at-risk groups to prevent violent conflict

• Build confidence of marginalized groups to access resources and representation

SFCG Sri Lanka focuses on the three broad areas of Youth, Women and Community Media: strengthening youth to be active citizens in their respective communities and placing women at the centre stage of cultivating peace and creating dialogue across groups for better and positive development in the country (with an emphasis on the North of the country) . SFCG strives to establish strong working relationships with local officials, community leaders, teachers and schools, religious leaders, and community-based organisations, seeking to expand knowledge, change attitudes, and advance the practice of peace and nonviolence.

N-Peace recently convened a national review meeting in Sri Lanka with Search for Common Ground

The N-Peace Review and Work Planning Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 5th July, organized by UNDP and Search for Common Ground was attended by civil society women from the national level and various districts – including Jaffna, Mannar and Kandy – along with Government representation from the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs, and staff from the UN system. During the consultation attendees discussed the challenges faced by women in Sri Lanka in relation to Women, Peace & Security (WPS) and mapped current interventions at the national and regional levels relevant to the WPS agenda. This led to an exploration of gaps and opportunities for future initiatives in Sri Lanka. Challenges outlined included the need for: greater coordination and collaboration amongst NGOs and other stakeholders working on WPS; greater understanding of WPS issues and grassroots women’s needs; strengthened protection mechanisms at grassroots levels; wider sensitivity to violence against women; increased access to services to address gender based violence (GBV) at district levels and psychological challenges faced by women victims of sexual violence or GBV. How these challenges can be addressed by interventions was also explored. To this end, priority gaps to be addressed were defined at national and sub-national levels including: laws to support women and the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) on Women; coordination and forums or coalition of women working on WPS, jointly engaging multiple stakeholders – from CSOs, the diaspora, grassroots, national level, youth, and supportive groups – to work on advocacy and monitoring of policy implementation; the promotion of young women’s leadership and political participation; and the sensitization of men to women’s issues. From http://www.n-peace.net/news/n-peace-consultation-sri-lanka-unpacks-women-peace-and-security-agenda

Promoting Civic Participation in the Hill Country

A multi-ethnic country, Sri Lanka is challenged by the politics of identity. Developing a collective identity has been a continuous struggle for Sri Lankan society. Its diverse communities maintain strong identities, cultures and beliefs. To transform such dynamics, Sri Lanka needs proactive leadership, and the participation of an empowered civil society. Marginalized groups need to be empowered to take responsibility to work for positive change and to advocate for improved quality of life for their populous.

SFCG's innovative approach involves two complementary approaches: behavior change communication and cooperative actions.

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Participatory and Inclusive Development

The engagement of communities with various identities, experiences and perspectives is crucial for sustainable development in a pluralistic and diverse society. Post-2009 Sri Lanka, after three decades of war, is striving to develop the conflict-affected provinces, placing importance on resettlement, rebuilding, infrastructure development and reconciliation. Despite numerous efforts by the government, the conflict-affected communities have grievances regarding lack of local participation in development efforts, resettlement related issues and demographic changes in the North and the East Provinces.

Considering the current dynamics and development in these geographical areas, SFCG Sri Lanka is working to change the current conflict-prone dynamics and bring about positive social transformation promoting participation and inclusivity.

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Women, Peace & Security

U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 calls for incorporating a gender perspective in peace agreements, protecting women and girls from gender-based violence, and including women in the decision-making level of peace processes primarily to ensure protection and full participation of women and girls in the process. Thus, it is crucial to consider women as key players in the transition to peace. SFCG Sri Lanka places a strategic priority women's issues, considering them an at-risk group. . We believe working for the protection, empowerment, inclusion and advancement of women in post-conflict reconstruction processes and socio-political developments is essential to achieving long-term reconciliation and sustainable peace to complement the increased stability in the regions affected by the conflict.

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