Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country in South Asia, where the legacy of civil war, tensions between population groups, and gender inequality continue to affect society. Strengthening human rights and civil society requires long-term work, particularly in relation to marginalised groups.

KIOS in Sri Lanka

KIOS supports civil society organisations in the country that promote, in particular, the rights of women, sexual and gender minorities, and ethnic and religious minorities. Support is also directed to organisations that aim to strengthen human rights awareness, monitor the human rights situation, and promote access to justice for victims of human rights violations. The work is part of a broader multi-year programme by KIOS, which aims to strengthen human rights and civil society in Sri Lanka.

KIOS grantees in Sri Lanka:

• Promote women’s rights and work to reduce gender-based violence.
• Support the position of sexual and gender minorities within the society and reduce discrimination.
• Strengthen cooperation between women’s organisations representing different ethnic and religious groups.
• Provide human rights education to authorities and groups in vulnerable positions.

Impacts of the human rights work:

• The operating environment for human rights defenders has been strengthened under difficult circumstances.
• Legal advice and awareness of rights among marginalised groups have increased.
• Women’s political participation has grown.
• The position of sexual and gender minorities has gained visibility through human rights work, and efforts to address discrimination have received more attention.

Donate to support human rights work and human rights defenders in Sri Lanka:  https://kios.fi/en/lahjoita/

See our funding page for open calls: https://kios.fi/en/apply/

Page updated in June 2026.