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05 August 2022
Letter from the Secretary-General to President Wickremesinghe
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15 July 2022
UN urges stakeholders to ensure peaceful transition of power
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10 July 2022
Statement by UN Resident Coordinator about incidents in Sri Lanka
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Sri Lanka
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Sri Lanka.
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11 May 2021
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Take Action
19 December 2019
A timeline of the United Nations in Sri Lanka
Check out footprint of Sri Lanka in the United Nations.
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Take Action
19 December 2019
Peacebuilding Fund in Sri Lanka
As part of the UN’s commitment to support the peacebuilding process, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) began extending support to Sri Lanka in 2015. Check out how the UN is currently providing fast, flexible and relevant funding to over 20 countries.
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Story
14 December 2021
Sri Lanka’s Path to Recovery: Restoring Human Capital in a Post-Pandemic World
Highlights
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on human capital worldwide and has reversed valuable gains made over the past decade.
Recovery efforts require a renewed commitment and investment in human capital which focuses on establishing robust and resilient systems to reduce exposure and vulnerability to shocks.
Sri Lanka could benefit by bringing together key sectors and stakeholders for comprehensive solutions that can help restore and accelerate human capital.
Abirami is a domestic aide. Daily wage earners like her have been hit hard by the pandemic. Abirami has been out of work since April 2020, barring a few odd jobs that came her way. Her husband Kumar used to operate a food cart, but that too ended abruptly during lockdown. Unable to make ends meet, the couple was compelled to sell the cart, the only asset they had in their name. They now survive on a few thousand rupees a month and have no stable income to rely on.
Insecurity is a familiar feeling for Abirami. As an informal sector worker, she has no employment benefits, or social security. She lives day to day, using her meagre income to cover their daily needs. She does not have the luxury of planning for her future. That is a challenge for another day.
Abirami’s priority is to educate her two sons. A school dropout herself, she is determined that her boys do not have the same fate. Despite her best efforts, she may be unable to give them the future she hopes for. Though Sri Lanka provides free education, disparities in the quality of education often result in unequal employment opportunities, making it harder for children from poorer households to climb out of poverty.
Abirami is also responsible for her elderly mother who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Though she receives free treatment from public hospitals, Abirami is left with many additional costs associated with her care. For a family that survives on a daily income, this cost is overwhelming.
With so much on her plate, Abirami has never had room for her own dreams. “I always wanted to become a beautician,” she says, sounding almost guilty to admit that she once had aspirations for herself.
Sadly, Abirami’s story is not uncommon. It is a story of lost potential, which speaks volumes about the power of investing in human capital. She leaves us with four key takeaways on how best to understand and approach human capital challenges.
Human capital challenges emerge throughout the lifecycle. From raising healthy, educated children, and providing jobs for adults, to supporting social security and healthcare for the elderly, human capital challenges occur at all stages of life. They often have a compounding effect, with challenges from each stage building upon the next. Abirami’s inability to complete schooling hindered her job prospects and quality of life and, in turn, affected her children. Failure to address challenges throughout the lifecycle can trap people in vulnerable positions and perpetuate the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
Human capital challenges require integrated and holistic approaches: Isolated interventions can only go so far in creating sustainable and meaningful change. Human capital challenges require integrated and holistic interventions, based on strong collaborations across key sectors. Additionally, human capital challenges are exacerbated by lack of access to and poor quality of basic services, including water, electricity, and transport. Sri Lanka could benefit from developing a human capital program that brings together key sectors and stakeholders for the implementation of comprehensive solutions that can help restore and accelerate human capital.
The pandemic has reversed valuable human capital gains: For Abirami and others like her the pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges. In Sri Lanka, around 500,000 people have fallen below the poverty line. Jobs have been lost, particularly among women, many of whom will never return to work. The implications of prolonged school closures will be more serious for children who couldn’t access online education, and the ‘silent learning crisis’ will impact future productivity and growth. The pandemic has shown us that robust and resilient systems are needed to reduce exposure and vulnerability to shocks. Adapting and preparing for emerging challenges is also important. For Sri Lanka, the rapidly ageing population and the rising non-communicable disease burden pose a significant threat to human capital, and failing to prepare for these challenges could be disastrous.
Investing in human capital today can save money in the future: Sri Lanka has achieved good results in human capital development with relatively low investment. This remarkable progress demonstrates the country’s potential, and provides a glimpse of what can be achieved with more efficient investment. Human capital challenges reveal inequalities along gender, geography, and income, which allow people like Abirami to fall through the cracks. Investing now can help foster productive citizens who contribute to the national economy, reducing the cost and burden on the system. For instance, in Sri Lanka, only 32 percent of women participate in the labor force as compared to 75 percent of men, and the IMF estimates overall income gains of about 16 percent in 2040 if this gender gap is closed in 50 years.
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka must prepare for the challenge of rebuilding lives and reshaping futures. At this crucial juncture, a renewed focus and commitment to human capital development could support a smooth and resilient recovery.
For Abirami, the road to recovery is long and arduous, but with a little help, her sons could have a very different story.
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Story
27 June 2022
Healthy planet needs ‘ocean action’ from Asian and Pacific countries
If done right ocean action will also be climate action but this will require working in concert on a few fronts.
First, we must invest in and support science and technology to produce key solutions. Strengthening science-policy interfaces to bridge practitioners and policymakers contributes to a sound understanding of ocean-climate synergies, thereby enabling better policy design, an important priority of the Indonesian Presidency of the G20 process. Additionally policy support tools can assist governments in identifying and prioritizing actions through policy and SDG tracking and scenarios development.
We must also make the invisible visible through ocean data: just three of ten targets for the goal on life below water are measurable in Asia and the Pacific. Better data is the foundation of better policies and collective action. The Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) is an innovative multi-stakeholder collective established to enable countries and other stakeholders to go beyond GDP and to measure and manage progress towards ocean sustainable development.
Solutions for low-carbon maritime transport are also a key part of the transition to decarbonization by the middle of the century. Countries in Asia and the Pacific recognized this when adopting a new Regional Action Programme last December, putting more emphasis on such concrete steps as innovative shipping technologies, cooperation on green shipping corridors and more efficient use of existing port infrastructure and facilities to make this ambition a reality.
Finally, aligning finance with our ocean, climate and broader SDG aspirations provides a crucial foundation for all of our action. Blue bonds are an attractive instrument both for governments interested in raising funds for ocean conservation and for investors interested in contributing to sustainable development in addition to obtaining a return for their investment.
These actions and others are steps towards ensuring the viability of several of the region’s key ocean-based economic sectors, such as seaborne trade, tourism and fisheries. An estimated 50 to 80 per cent of all life on Earth is found under the ocean surface. Seven of every 10 fish caught around the globe comes from Pacific waters. And we know that the oceans and coasts are also vital allies in the fight against climate change, with coastal systems such as mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass meadows at the frontline of climate change, absorbing carbon at rates of up to 50 times those of the same area of tropical forest.
But the health of the oceans in Asia and the Pacific is in serious decline: rampant pollution, destructive and illegal fishing practices, inadequate marine governance and continued urbanization along coastlines have destroyed 40 per cent of the coral reefs and approximately 60 per cent of the coastal mangroves, while fish stocks continue to decline and consumption patterns remain unsustainable.
These and other pressures exacerbate climate-induced ocean acidification and warming and weaken the capacity of oceans to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Global climate change is also contributing to sea-level rise, which affects coastal and island communities severely, resulting in greater disaster risk , internal displacement and international migration.
To promote concerted action, ESCAP, in collaboration with partner UN agencies, provides a regional platform in support of SDG14, aligned within the framework of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). Through four editions so far of the Asia-Pacific Day for the Ocean, we also support countries in identifying and putting in place solutions and accelerated actions through regional dialogue and cooperation.
It is abundantly clear there can be no healthy planet without a healthy ocean. Our leaders meeting in Lisbon must step up efforts to protect the ocean and its precious resources and to build sustainable blue economies.
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Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and So
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Story
04 June 2022
We have Only One Earth, and time is running out
However, half a century later, unsustainable patterns of consumption and production have led to the triple planetary crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. This triple crisis is an existential threat, and it endangers human health, wealth, equality, and peace, as COVID-19 has demonstrated all too plainly.
While Sri Lanka and the world grapples with the impact of the pandemic and other global crises, the looming threat of the climate crisis is ever so prevalent, especially for an island nation such as Sri Lanka. Though compounded by sporadic weather conditions and other ecological challenges, Sri Lanka forever stands strong as a nation of rich natural resources and biodiversity. Throughout Sri Lanka’s journey to preserve its natural environment, promote green growth and restore its ecosystems, the United Nations in Sri Lanka has stood strong, with the people of Sri Lanka, against the tide.
Sri Lanka continues to work on environmental and climate resilience as part of its transition to green growth. Last year, the UN continued to support programmes aimed at achieving sustainable development at a larger scale by collaborating with national partners on novel approaches to address environmental concerns and respond to climate change. Among other priorities, the UN focused on disaster risk reduction, climate resilient agriculture and women’s leadership in environmental management.
The increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, landslides and cyclones are ranking Sri Lanka amongst the top 10 countries on the Global Climate Risk Index (2018-2020). Climate change is posing an ever-increasing threat to people's livelihood and safety. The livelihoods of many Sri Lankan’s are connected to sectors that are highly vulnerable to environmental factors and COVID19 has aggravated the challenges, thus compounding the climate risks on our communities. The UN has worked to enhance the country’s resilience to climate change and disasters, and to reduce institutional, community and household vulnerabilities and improve capacities to better prepare for and adapt to climate change and natural hazards. In 2021, through cash transfers and creating assets, the UN supported over 35,000 people adapt to climate change and natural disasters and become more resilient to them. UN agencies also supported plans for safe drinking water, sanitation, food security, and livelihoods, to build the resilience of different communities. To ensure the needs and concerns of everyone is addressed in disaster risk reduction, assisted in integrating gender and older people's need in preparedness plans, finalizing the national emergency plan operations, and providing cash assistance to vulnerable Samurdhi households as part of shock-responsive social protection.
Climate resilient agriculture is critical in light of Sri Lanka's current food security situation, therefore, UN Agencies promoted sustainable land use management and climate resilient agriculture in 2021. A UN-supported initiative to create a National Weather Portal and its mobile app benefited nearly 460,000 farmers, and last mile climate services were piloted to strengthen the government's capacity to provide more reliable, localised, and simplified climate advisories. In addition, the South-South Triangular Cooperation initiative exchanged information to assist smallholder farmers in reducing post-harvest losses.
80%[1] of those impacted by climate change are women, however systemic barriers prevent women from effectively preparing for and responding to climate impacts. Village development plans were developed by local officials and community members through a UN programme last year, with an emphasis on women's environmental leadership and involvement, to address important problems and requirements linked to solid waste management. Action grants were provided to implement women’s proposals including compost production, polythene recycling and more. Women’s intervention and leadership, reduced waste, encouraged local innovation and sustainable enterprise, and strengthened village-level governance mechanisms (Praja Mandalas).
Disaster risk reduction, climate resilient agriculture and women’s leadership in environmental management is massively important to ensure Sri Lanka faces the challenges of climate change. Limiting climate change is an opportunity to improve the quality of life for every Sri Lankan. We have a shared responsibility to protect the one earth we have, and time is running out.
[1] https://www.unglobalcompact.org/take-action/events/1928-how-to-advance-women-s-leadership-in-climate-action
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Story
08 March 2022
The power of women leading from the front
Renuka Bhadrakanthi is an activist who, for over thirty years, has focused on various aspects of women-centered community development based in Rathnapura. Working towards greater inclusiveness of women in health, education, and the distribution of resources, she has anchored her work on the motto, “for an empowered and wholesome community”. This is her story:
“The women’s organization I belong to commenced in 1996 and has focused on strategies to overcome poverty in the family unit. With an emphasis on the domestic economy, health, and education, what began with 458 families in a single divisional secretariat area has expanded to include 3500 families in 4 such divisions.
My activism in the community is geared towards fairness in resource distribution, respectability and dignity in labour and ownership, and inclusive employment opportunities for all. I believe that services should be effectively regionalized for them to reach villages and remote communities and that the state has to play a proactive role in introducing policy and implementation to support this redistribution.
In the future, I hope to see a Sri Lanka where education, health, and community infrastructure are sustained at the village-level and made readily and effectively available to rural women and men. I hope for state intervention in spearheading resource distribution and developing social policies that reach the marginalized. We need to ensure essential services are optimized and enjoyed by local communities with dignity.”
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Story
21 September 2021
UN Women helping to boost the role of Sri Lanka’s women in solving waste management problems
Colombo, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lankan women carry the main burden of household work, so they have knowledge and influence that could be channeled to improve community waste management, which is not only harming health and the environment but also causing disputes between different communities.
The government’s Time-Use Survey of 2017 found that women spend 27.6 per cent more time than men doing housework each day. Yet while women are the ones handling all the household waste, they barely have a voice when it comes to deciding how to manage waste in the larger community.
In Sri Lanka, the local government Authorities or Councils have the primary responsibility for collecting and disposing of waste within their areas. But historically, very few women have held seats on these bodies because of institutional and structural barriers, and gender stereotypes such as that politics is unsuitable for women or that women should just stay at home.
Before the last local elections, in 2018, women held only 1.9 per cent of these seats. A new 25 per cent quota for female representation boosted that number, though today, women still hold only 23.7 per cent of seats.
To address the problem of women’s representation and environmental management, UN Women, United Nations Office for Project Services, and Chrysalis, a local non-governmental organization, are jointly implementing a project called Promoting Women’s Engagement in Effective Solid Waste Management. The 2020-2021 project, funded by United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, is expected to directly benefit about 4,000 people in Puttalam and Mannar districts along the country’s western coast. Most people in these districts work in fisheries and in agriculture.
“Through this project, we are working with women to ensure their voices are heard and that they are fully involved in making decisions that impact them, their households and communities,” said Ramaaya Salgado, Country Focal Point at UN Women Sri Lanka. “Solid waste management was identified as the main community issue that this project addresses, but we are building their capacities so that this whole-of-community approach can be replicated in addressing other conflicts and community issues as well.”
Because improper waste disposal harms health, the environment and intercommunal relations, the project brings communities together to develop sustainable solutions for their shared environment -- with women at the forefront of that process.
In April 2020, the project organized a series of local-level dialogues in which about 350 elected officials, public officials, women community leaders, members of civil society groups, religious leaders, young people and others in Puttalam and Mannar discussed common issues and solutions to waste management.
UN Women and Chrysalis then gave the dialogue participants training on collective leadership, peacebuilding and non-violent conflict resolution.
Earlier this month, UN Women organized two town hall meetings that connected local authorities and women community leaders with experts in solid waste management, including environmental and civil engineers, local government officials and environmental activists. The broader aim was to get more women into leadership positions and adopt best practices on solid waste management.
The women participating in the UN Women project include Kaweeda Manohari, 48, a member of the Chilaw Municipal Council in Puttalam, and Dilushani Fernando, a social worker and community leader in Puttalam.
“Recently, I had to be a mediator to a conflict between two parties,” Manohari said. “Since it was fresh in my mind, I was able to use some of the techniques I learned at our training to help the two parties arrive at a compromise and push for a legal solution to their issue.”
Fernando said: “I learned a lot about waste segregation and the economic benefits of upcycling while reducing waste. Now I always think twice before throwing away something. I use it to create something new instead. This is what I hope to teach young children in my community.”
**Ends**
About UN Women: UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. Learn more at: asiapacific.unwomen.org
Media inquiries: communications.lk@unwomen.org
Follow UN Women Sri Lanka on Twitter: @unwomenSriLanka
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Story
02 September 2021
Stay Home, Save Lives
The complex challenge posed by COVID-19 both in protecting public health and the socioeconomic functioning of the country confront policymakers with difficult choices. Large scale movement and physical distance restrictions, often referred to as ‘lockdowns’, can slow COVID‑19 transmission by limiting contact between people, but these measures can also have a negative economic impact and affect disadvantaged groups who most often live in overcrowded and under resourced settings, and depend on daily labour for subsistence.
The United Nations recognizes that at certain points, some countries have no choice but to issue stay-at-home orders and other measures. The recent decision by the Government of Sri Lanka to keep in place an island-wide lockdown was critical to help limit the spread of the virus, provide time for the health system to increase capacity, protect healthcare workers, reach vaccination targets, and most importantly save lives. Sustaining the current public health measures, while providing support to those who are most vulnerable to curfews, is an investment to allow Sri Lanka’s broader economic recovery in the medium term.
Sri Lanka is currently in the 11th position of the countries with highest number of deaths per 100,000 population according to WHO figures on 25 August. As indicated in the 6th Independent Technical Expert Group Meeting on 26 August convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), if lockdowns are extended to 18 September and 2 October, respectively, 7,500 and 10,000 deaths can be prevented (in comparison to a release on 30 August). An extended lockdown allows time for the health system to recover from the current pressures including a shortage of beds and critical supplies like oxygen.
It is therefore important to count the human cost of the pandemic, over short-term economic concerns. The economy can recover but those we lose will never return. A short-term lockdown now will save lives, offer respite to our tireless health workers, and limit the long-term social and economic dislocation of a wider COVID-19 outbreak.
There remain economic concerns with many believing that the long-term impact of the pandemic on the economy will cost many more lives in the future and drive businesses into bankruptcy and individuals to poverty. The WHO in Sri Lanka recently projected that an extension of the lockdown to 18 September would result in an economic loss of USD 1.67 billion, while an extension of the lockdown to 2 October would result in an economic loss of USD 2.22 billion. However, economic activity can normalise in many areas when effective public health measures contain the spread of COVID-19. In 2020, Sri Lanka's GDP quickly returned to pre-pandemic levels after a contraction of 16.4% in the 2nd quarter of 2020, with the economy continuing to expand by 2.3% on average the three quarters to March 2021 as transmission of COVID-19 remained relatively suppressed. This is testament to how maintaining strict lockdown measures during crucial periods reduces COVID-19 transmission and mortality and contributes to a safer public health environment as this gives workers and businesses the confidence to resume their economic activities and provides a basis for a sustainable economic recovery.
This lockdown period should be used to build capacities to detect, isolate, test and care for all cases; trace and quarantine all contacts and increase vaccination. It is also important to mobilize all sectors of society, with partners supporting the Government in its engagement with faith groups, NGOs and the civil society, and thus help meet the needs of lower income groups who are bearing the brunt of the health and socioeconomic effects of COVID-19. These measures will allow authorities the opportunity to plan for a systematic re-opening of sectors, regions, and the return of employment categories
The Government has progressed impressively in vaccinating those above the age of 30 and current figures showing that more than 56% of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccine and more than 31% of the population having received both doses. The United Nations through our COVAX facility has supported the procurement of vaccine donations from Member States and UNICEF and WHO have supported the health system in administering vaccines.
However, a vaccine on its own will not end the COVID-19 pandemic. We will still need to continue with policy and medical measures such as surveillance, testing, isolating, and caring for cases and tracing and quarantining contacts. The public must also continue to follow physical distancing and health measures such as washing hands and avoiding closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings.
The UN in Sri Lanka has provided technical, material, skills, partner coordination and logistical support and will continue to work with government partners to address both the health and socioeconomic impact of the pandemic to help Sri Lanka recover and build back better. It is only through solidarity, partnership, and personal responsibility that we will defeat this virus – let us all do our part.
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Press Release
06 August 2022
Letter from the Secretary-General to President Wickremesinghe
In the letter signed August 3, the Secretary-General noted that President Wickremesinghe's leadership would be critical in bringing stability and ensuring an environment conducive to ushering Sri Lanka out of the current challenges it is facing.
The letter also encourages dialogue among all stakeholders, including consultation with the public, as well as respect for rule of law and fundamental human rights principles.
A copy of the letter can be downloaded below.
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Press Release
15 July 2022
UN urges stakeholders to ensure peaceful transition of power
It is imperative that the transition of power is accompanied by broad and inclusive consultation within and outside Parliament.
It is important that the root causes of the current instability and the people’s grievances are addressed. Dialogue with all stakeholders is the best way to address the concerns and fulfil the aspirations of all Sri Lankans.
The authorities must ensure that in maintaining law and order the security forces exercise restraint and operate in strict compliance with human rights principles and standards.
The United Nations stands ready to provide support to the Government and people of Sri Lanka to address both immediate and long-term needs.
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Press Release
10 July 2022
Statement by UN Resident Coordinator about incidents in Sri Lanka
It is important that all incidents of violence against journalists, peaceful protestors and harm to property are investigated and that those responsible are held accountable.
Given the ongoing economic crisis there is a need for a smooth transition to a legitimate government, that can continue dialogue with all relevant national and international stakeholders to support Sri Lanka cope with its worst economic crisis since independence. Food security, agriculture, livelihoods, and access to health for the most vulnerable must be prioritized with immediate action to avoid further suffering.
The UN continues to monitor the situation closely and is ready to assist in dialogue as needed. As we do around the world, the UN calls for respect for human rights, rule of law and democratic governance in Sri Lanka.
Hanaa Singer-Hamdy
Resident Coordinator
United Nations in Sri Lanka
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Press Release
09 June 2022
UN calls for over US$47 million for life-saving assistance to 1.7 million people
This directly responds to the Government of Sri Lanka’s request for a United Nations-backed multi-sector international assistance to respond to the most urgent needs arising from the recent crisis, particularly focusing on health care and essential medicines, food and agriculture—including targeted nutrition services— safe drinking water, emergency livelihoods and protection.
Development and humanitarian partners in Sri Lanka estimate that nearly 5.7 million women, children and men are in need of immediate life-saving assistance. The 1.7 million people targeted under the HNP are among those whose livelihoods, food security and access to health services are most at risk and need immediate support.
“Multiple factors are impacting Sri Lanka's food security situation; if we don't act now, many families will be unable to meet their basic food needs,” UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said, stressing the urgent need to prevent a humanitarian crisis later in the year, while bridging efforts towards development and socio-economic interventions.
“Sri Lanka's once-strong healthcare system is now in jeopardy, livelihoods are suffering and the most vulnerable are facing the greatest impact. Now is the time for the international community to show solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. The UN and humanitarian partners are calling on donors, the private sector and individuals to urgently support this plan to provide life-saving assistance to the women, men, and children most affected by the crisis and thus prevent a deterioration of humanitarian needs in the country,” she added.
Sri Lanka, formerly an upper-middle income country, is facing its worst economic crisis since independence. In May, food inflation stood at 57.4 per cent, while shortages of key food items, as well as fuel for cooking, transport, and industry, remain widespread, with ongoing daily power outages. The economy is bracing for a sharp contraction due to the unavailability of basic inputs to production, an 80 per cent depreciation of the currency (since March 2022), coupled with a lack of foreign reserves and the country's failure to meet its international debt obligations.
The economic crisis has particularly impacted food security, agriculture, livelihoods, and access to health services. Food production in the last harvest season was 40 - 50 per cent lower than last year, and the current agricultural season is at risk, with seeds, fertilizers, fuel and credit shortages.
Nearly 5 million people (22 per cent of the population) are currently in need of food assistance. Latest surveys reveal that 86 percent of households are using at least one coping mechanism such as reducing food intake, including skipping meals.
Currently close to 200 essential medicines are now out of stock, with a predicted shortage of another 163 critical over the next two to three months. Additionally, over 2,700 essential surgical and more than 250 regular laboratory items are also out of stock. Due to power cuts and the lack of fuel to operate generators, many hospitals have had no choice but to postpone routine and non-urgent surgeries and procedures.
Sri Lanka Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan
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Press Release
14 May 2022
Message by the UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka on the Day of Vesak.
“Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness.”
As Sri Lanka and the world journey through these troubled times, may this teaching of the Buddha from the Dhammapada guide you.
His message of compassion, tolerance, and respect for one another are true today as they were over 2500 years ago.
Acknowledging the contributions of Buddhism to the world, an eminent Sri Lankan the then Foreign Minister Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar, brought a proposal to the United Nations General Assembly to make the Buddhist holy day an International Observance Day. Vesak was thus declared a Day of Observance by a General Assembly Resolution in 1999.
Today the United Nations stands with Sri Lanka, we admire the resilience shown by her people, and are hopeful of a peaceful recovery from the current crisis.
It is only with compassion, and purity of intent, that present challenges can be overcome.
“Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one's mind - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.”
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