The UNFPA Country Office in Sri Lanka engages in policy advocacy and dialogue to strengthen the rights of women and girls in the development and humanitarian settings. Sri Lanka is signatory to several international conventions that guarantee non-discrimination and ensure a range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights for women, girls and gender minorities. Article 12(2) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka enshrines the principles of non-discrimination on, inter alia, the ground of sex. In the recent past, Sri Lanka has made an effort to address issues connected to gender equality and women’s empowerment. However, many laws and policies that result in direct and indirect discrimination on the basis of gender remain within the Sri Lankan legal framework.

In this context, the UNFPA Country Office in Sri Lanka commissioned this study to identify and analyse legal provisions, policies, and institutional practices that discriminate on the basis of gender in Sri Lanka. The study also offers recommendations for the amendment or repeal of specific legal provisions to ensure compliance with the CEDAW, ICCPR, and ICESCR.

This study is presented in six sections. The first sets out the methodological approach adopted in the study. The second explains the applicable international human rights law standards used as benchmarks for the legal analysis. The third sets out the domestic legal framework pertaining to non-discrimination. The fourth section presents a legal analysis of Sri Lankan laws and connected policies and institutional practices in terms of their compliance with IHRL. The fifth section presents key observations and conclusions. The final section presents recommendations for reform.