UN: Sri LanJustice ka Has Failed Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

A new United Nations Human Rights Office report finds that the Government of Sri Lanka has failed to effectively support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence more than 15 years after the country’s civil war ended.

The report, titled “We lost everything — even hope for justice,” is based on more than a decade of monitoring and consultations with survivors, gender-based violence experts, civil society groups and other stakeholders. It concludes that systemic impunity and the absence of meaningful legal accountability have left many victims without justice or redress.

According to the United Nations, survivors — including both women and men — continue to endure long-term physical and psychological trauma, chronic injuries, social stigma and lack of access to adequate health and support services. Many have received neither formal recognition of their suffering nor reparations, underscoring what the report describes as an ongoing legacy of harm.

The report states that the absence of credible domestic investigations and prosecutions has fostered a culture of impunity. It urges Sri Lanka to implement transformative reforms to fulfill its obligations under international law, including prosecuting perpetrators, guaranteeing survivors’ rights and providing reparations and comprehensive care.

Human rights advocates have also stressed the need for international support to strengthen accountability mechanisms and ensure that survivors receive the justice and services they have long been denied.