NPC’s Women Organizing for Inclusion through Community Engagement (WOICE) project conducted five training sessions in the districts of Monaragala, Matara, Kegalle, Polonnaruwa and Kandy, bringing together about 30 participants per session - totalling over 120 dynamic women leaders - engaging peer groups, senior super groups and vibrant WOICE youth members.
Facilitated by Dr. Crisni Silva, Senior Lecturer at the University of Colombo, the intensive sessions provided an open forum to confront critical democratic issues that have remained in abeyance for years. The first session in Monaragala focused on the eight year delay of Provincial Council elections and its impact on democratic representation, local governance and access to public services. Provincial Council elections have remained pending since 2018, creating a prolonged gap in elected representation at the provincial level. Participants highlighted that this delay has weakened democratic accountability and limited opportunities for citizens, particularly women, to participate in political decision making and leadership at the regional level.
Participants reflected on how the prolonged absence of elected Provincial Councils has affected access to services. With governors exercising significant authority in the absence of elected councils, participants felt that decision making at the provincial level has become more centralised and difficult for ordinary citizens to access. They emphasised that elected representatives are essential for ensuring that people's concerns are communicated, public services are responsive and authorities can be held accountable.
The discussion in Matara took a broader historical and constitutional perspective. Participants were particularly interested in understanding the powers and functions of Provincial Councils in relation to the 13th Amendment introduced in the context of the ethnic conflict and efforts toward devolution of power. The discussion explored whether Provincial Councils provide citizens with meaningful opportunities to participate in decision making and address issues affecting their communities.
One particularly insightful discussion explored the perception that devolution could allow communities to exercise greater authority over matters affecting their own territories. Participants also examined the limits of such authority and the relationship between national, provincial, and local levels of government. The session therefore provided an opportunity to understand how Sri Lanka's system of governance is structured, from the central government to Provincial Councils and Local Authorities, and how political representation and decision making are expected to function at each level.
The discussions ultimately raised an important democratic question: How can citizens reclaim and mainstream democratic rights that have remained in abeyance for years? Participants recognised that restoring regular Provincial Council elections was fundamental to ensuring democratic representation, accountability, responsive governance and greater opportunities for women to enter and influence political leadership at the provincial level.
The session provided an opportunity for an in-depth discussion on the land rights of the Malaiyaha Tamil community. The discussion highlighted that land rights were not simply about obtaining a legal document or a piece of land on which to live. They were fundamentally about recognition, dignity, belonging and equal citizenship.
“Land rights are not only about getting a proper license for the land where we live. It is about recognition and having a sense of belonging. It is not simply about receiving a piece of land. With land ownership comes recognition and the ability to exercise our rights as citizens,” said a member of the Kegalle Super Group.
These challenges have been further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, political instability and the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The project’s grassroots women leaders, including members of the peer groups and super groups, emphasised the importance of bringing the land rights of the Malaiyaha Tamil community into this mainstream discourse. They highlighted that economic recovery and democratic development cannot be fully achieved without addressing historical inequalities and ensuring that marginalised communities have secure access to land, housing, public services and their full rights as citizens.
Transitional justice seeks to promote accountability, truth seeking and institutional reforms aimed at preventing future conflict. Women leaders highlighted that much of the fear surrounding transitional justice stems from a lack of clear and accessible communication. “It is a difficult and far-fetched concept for ordinary people to understand. It has also been politically manipulated year after year and some people perceive it as an approach that focuses only on ethnicity,” said Anoma Kapukotuwa, a Kandy peer group member.
The discussion highlighted the need to demystify transitional justice through simple language, community-level dialogue and transparent communication, enabling women leaders and communities to engage meaningfully in conversations about truth, justice, reconciliation and lasting peace.
The training explored how democratic issues that have remained in abeyance can be brought back into public discussion and placed on the mainstream agenda. Participants discussed the importance of raising awareness, countering misinformation, strengthening women’s voices and creating spaces for constructive dialogue.