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Sri Lanka

Monthly Event Reports

July 2023 | Parliament approves new anti-corruption law

Sri Lanka’s parliament approved a long-awaited anti-corruption bill on 20 July as part of the prerequisites of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package, approved in March. The bill increases the powers and resources allocated to the Bribery and Corruption Commission, tasked with investigating bribery and corruption charges and offences among private and public sector officials. The law also mandates electoral candidates to declare their assets and liabilities, which would be made public ahead of elections, as well as provides protection for whistleblowers. Civil society organizations and rights experts have welcomed the law, with Transparency International adding that "A lot of it will depend on enforcement of the law, whether law enforcement authorities will be empowered to be free of political interference and also not have to self-censor, to act without fear or favour during investigations."

May 2023 | Sri Lanka takes steps toward decriminalizing homosexuality

The Supreme Court ruled on 9 May that a bill seeking to decriminalize homosexuality is not unconstitutional, clearing the pathway for parliament to discuss and vote on reforming the law. The decision marks a significant milestone for LGBTQIA+ rights in the country, with campaigners hopeful that it will provide an opportunity for long-awaited reform. The bill, introduced in April, aims to make the sexual conduct between two consenting adults of the same sex a non-punishable offence.

April 2023 | New draft Anti-Terrorism Bill receives widespread condemnation
Watch flag

Sri Lanka’s government gazetted the Anti-Terrorism Bill on 22 March, intended to replace the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Human rights experts and civil society organizations (CSOs) have criticized the new draft bill for perpetuating provisions used in the PTA to facilitate abuse and silence dissent. The proposed bill allegedly contains overbroad and vague language that defines any anti-government political activity as terrorism, which would give authorities broad powers to detain people on criminal speech offences. Rights experts are urging the government to drop or revise the draft bill to prevent the continued restrictions on civic freedoms. As of 6 April, the government delayed tabling the bill to consider comments and suggestions from the public and CSOs until 31 May.

Rights Neutral
Participation Neutral
Rule Of Law Neutral

March 2023 | First National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security adopted

Sri Lanka’s parliament adopted its first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) for the 2023-2027 period, with assistance from the Japanese government and UN Women. Launched officially on 8 March, WPS “adds to the country’s legal and policy frameworks to protect and empower women in line with the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1325 (2000).” The action plan also aims to provide targeted aid for women made vulnerable to war, violence and environmental insecurity.

Rights Neutral

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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
22 156 000
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena (since 2022)
Head of government party
United National Party
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
5.3%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2020
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
2.44
Head of state
President Ranil Wickremesinghe
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (alternative vote)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
15/11/2017
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
76.96%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
in
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Categories of Democratic Performance

Representation neutral Representation
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Representation neutral Rights
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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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