Sri Lanka is an old and established democracy. It has a long electoral democratic tradition, having introduced universal franchise as early as 1931, and a track record of peaceful changes of governments through the ballot since then. Post-independence Sri Lanka is shaped by war (1983 – 2009) and insurgencies (1971, 1987-89) and more recently a crippling economic and political crisis (2022). Understanding and assessing the enabling space for civil society in Sri Lanka today requires recognising and factoring in some of the key dynamics in the country, particularly the ethno-religious contestations among its main community groups of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims and the post-independence state-building process that seemingly entrenches Sinhala Buddhist majoritarianism. These get superimposed on an unequal and patriarchal society. These deep drivers continue to influence state-civil relations and how they manifest in fundamental freedoms of association, assembly, and expression. They also play a role in how they are enjoyed by different segments of the population.
In 2022, the economic crisis precipitated by long periods of poor governance and a growing frustration with the political status quo triggered a massive people’s uprising known as Aragalaya/Struggle. The Aragalaya resulted in the forced resignation of the then President, Prime Minister and the government. After an interim period (2022-2024) with a President elected by the parliament, a new President and government were elected with a significant mandate at the end of 2024. The Aragalaya of 2022 was unprecedented and was the largest show of civic activism in Sri Lanka. However, the Aragalaya was in turn met with the quick consolidation of interests by those in government, followed by repressive measures.
The newly elected National People’s Power (NPP) government came to power in late 2024 with a supermajority and a clear mandate for a ‘system change’ anchored in participation and transparency. In keeping with the mandate, the government is pursuing a multi-pronged anti-corruption agenda. This consists of long-delayed legal reforms, strengthening anti-corruption institutions, and measures to bring about a change in public culture.
The country is on an International Monetary Fund (IMF) prescribed economic recovery program with typical austerity measures that have far-reaching impacts on poorer segments of the population. Deep structural reforms like sustaining primary surplus, cutting down budget deficits, restructuring state-owned enterprises, increasing tax revenue, trade liberalisation and active investor promotion are at the top of the NPP government’s programmes. The looming debt repayment burden to avoid another cycle of crisis has compelled the government to follow a narrow path recommended by the IMF. The new government has not yet commenced any work on its promise to abolish the executive presidency or on constitutional reforms to address the national question of power sharing and reconciliation. When they do so, the relevant civil society actors expect to be involved in being heard and in shaping the outcomes. But the process and avenues for civil society’s constructive engagement with this government on these issues remain unclear.
Over the course of 2025, while some positive changes, like the recent shifting of the NGO Secretariat from the Ministry of Public Security to the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Empowerment, have been noted, many other trends that adversely impact the free functioning of civil society have continued. The persistence of restrictive legal frameworks, draconian security laws, and systematic harassment and pervasive surveillance continued to characterise the operating environment for civil society. Groups working on rights and justice issues, especially in the war-affected north and east areas where Tamils and Muslims are predominant, faced heightened scrutiny and intimidation.
Despite the context, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) remain a crucial force in advocating for human rights, accountability, and inclusive development. The enabling space is thus a complex, highly contested, and often precarious arena that demands resilience and innovation from civil society actors to pursue their mandates within a shifting political landscape.
Enabling principles scores
