United Nations Sri Lanka

13/08/2026

Across Sri Lanka, young people share the same hopes: to learn, to work, to belong, and to have the opportunity to shape their own futures.

Nilshani educates society about the importance of inclusion, equal opportunities, and treating people with disabilities with respect. Through her own journey, she is also showing what becomes possible when young people are given the chance, encouragement and space to thrive.

As we mark Youth Day Week, we are listening to young people from different communities across Sri Lanka about what stands in their way, what change they are creating, and the future they want to see.

13/08/2026

Today, the UN Country Team met with the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka to discuss preparations for the country's third Voluntary National Review (VNR), which will be presented in 2027.

The review will assess progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, identify gaps and inform the country's development priorities for the years ahead.

The discussion highlighted the importance of an inclusive process that reflects diverse voices across government, civil society, academia, youth, the private sector and communities across all provinces, not just Colombo.

12/08/2026

There are more young people on the planet today than at any other point in human history.

Wednesday’s International Youth Day is an opportunity to celebrate young people’s determination to make positive change and contributions to our world and collective future.

“Young people are already leading the way as organizers and innovators. But to go further, they need access to the skills that will shape the future – from critical thinking and problem-solving to digital literacy,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed.

11/08/2026

09/08/2026

Today, on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we honour the cultures, knowledge, and contributions of Indigenous communities everywhere.

Among them are the Veddah, one of the oldest continuous Indigenous cultures on the island, and custodians of a heritage, language, and connection to the land that enriches all of Sri Lanka. Yet like Indigenous peoples across the world, the Veddah continue to face real challenges: to their rights to their ancestral land, to their identity, and to equitable access to public services.

These are not privileges. They are rights, protected under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and central to any nation's promise to leave no one behind.
Honouring the Veddah's heritage means protecting their rights.
UNESCO New Delhi Office

07/08/2026

As global funding sources shift, the UN underscores the need for wider partnerships & new financing models to support the & people of 🇱🇰

Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, discussed this and more when she met with the UN Country Team this week.

UNDP in Asia and the Pacific | UNDP Sri Lanka

07/08/2026

06/08/2026

UN experts demand accountability for aid workers killed in Muttur 20 years ago.

Read more ➡️https://bit.ly/4zg3vr4

Twenty years ago, 17 humanitarian workers were killed in Muttur, Sri Lanka. They were helping communities recover from conflict and a devastating tsunami.

Two decades later, their families are still waiting for justice.

Humanitarians must never be a target. They must be protected.

06/08/2026

13/07/2026

Despite progress on economic recovery, many communities in Sri Lanka are still facing rising costs and growing pressure from climate shocks.

During a visit to Monaragala and Ratnapura, UN Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche met with families, farmers, local officials and civil society organisations to hear how these challenges are affecting people already struggling to make ends meet.