Sri Lanka’s civil society space continues to recede in 2017

Sri Lankan civil society organisations reported a notable deterioration in civic space in 2017.

According to the Civil Society Organisation Sustainability Index for Asia 2017, this decline places Sri Lanka at a lower position than most of its counterparts in Asia.

This index has been assessing the civil society sector in Sri Lanka since 2014. It notes that the overall sustainability of Sri Lankan civil society organisations experienced a disappointing decline in 2017, especially when compared to the opening of civic space the country experienced in 2015.

The index also notes that in 2017, civil society organisations across Asia worked amid a tide of closing civic space and increasingly restrictive environments.

While Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan and the Philippines experienced a similar decline, Sri Lankan civil society organisations faced renewed challenges with increasing negative sentiments towards civil society organisations.

These challenges were a combination of a) prominent political leaders publicly making derogatory comments against civil society organisations and b) several promises made on democratic and human rights reforms being stalled by the coalition government on good governance.

Despite these difficulties, the index also noted that Sri Lankan civil society organisations were successful in using social media to create platforms and conversations, as well as the Right to Information Act to promote public accountability.

Verité Research was the local implementing partner for Sri Lanka.