Can Sri Lanka Create More Family-Friendly Workplaces to Support Working Parents?
Can Sri Lanka Create More Family-Friendly Workplaces to Support Working Parents? Sri Lanka faces a persistent challenge in balancing economic ambitions with the realities of family life. Female labour force participation remains low at around 32 percent in early 2025, compared to over 70 percent for men, with many skilled women exiting the workforce after […]
Can Sri Lanka’s Rural Communities Thrive in a Digital Economy?
Can Sri Lanka’s Rural Communities Thrive in a Digital Economy? Sri Lanka stands at the threshold of a profound digital transformation that promises to reshape economies, create new livelihoods, and connect remote villages to global opportunities. Digital technologies are already driving efficiency in urban centres through e-commerce, digital payments, and remote services. Yet for the […]
How Can Sri Lanka Improve Its Mental Health Services Amidst Rising Pressures?
Sri Lanka faces a growing mental health crisis that touches every corner of society. Depression affects 19.4 percent of the population higher than the Asian regional average while among adolescents aged 13–17, 18 percent report persistent depression and 15 percent have seriously considered suicide. Economic stress, post-crisis trauma, academic pressure, and social stigma have pushed […]
Understanding the Impact of Inflation on Low-Income Families
Understanding the Impact of Inflation on Low-Income Families – For millions of Sri Lankan families living on modest incomes, inflation is far more than a headline statistic. It is the quiet force that forces impossible choices between food on the table, school fees, medicine, and keeping the lights on. Even as headline inflation has moderated, […]
IMF Staff Reaches Staff-Level Agreement on Combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews of Sri Lanka’s EFF Program
IMF Sri Lanka 2026, Staff-Level Agreement Reached for Next Review – An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission team led by Mr. Evan Papageorgiou visited Sri Lanka from March 26 to April 9, 2026, and reached staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews under the country’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) […]
How Can Sri Lanka’s Public Transport System Meet Growing Demand?
Sri Lanka’s public transport system carries millions of commuters every day, serving as the backbone of urban and inter-city mobility. Yet as the population grows, cities expand, and economic activity rebounds, the system is visibly straining under rising demand. Overcrowded buses, delayed trains, unreliable schedules, and escalating fares are becoming daily realities for students, workers, […]
The Struggle for Affordable Housing in Sri Lanka’s Urban Centres
Sri Lanka’s cities are expanding rapidly, yet affordable housing remains out of reach for the majority of urban families. In Colombo and its surrounding suburbs, soaring property prices, elevated rents, and stagnant real incomes have turned homeownership into a distant dream for lower- and middle-income households. Young professionals, working families, and low-wage earners increasingly face […]
Are We Prepared for Sri Lanka’s Next Public Health Emergency?
Sri Lanka has confronted multiple public health crises in recent years; the COVID-19 pandemic, recurrent dengue outbreaks, chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu), and the health consequences of Cyclone Ditwah in late 2025. Each event tested the system and delivered hard lessons on surveillance, coordination, and rapid response. Yet the deeper question remains: is […]
What Are the Hidden Costs of Public Sector Cuts on Citizens?
What Are the Hidden Costs of Public Sector Cuts on Citizens? Sri Lanka’s ongoing fiscal consolidation under the IMF-supported programme has brought visible macro gains debt restructuring, rebuilt reserves, and moderated inflation. Yet beneath these stabilising metrics lies a quieter reality: the hidden costs of public sector cuts on ordinary citizens. Rationalisation of the public […]
Can Sri Lanka’s Education System Truly Prepare Kids for the Future?
Can Sri Lanka’s Education System Truly Prepare Kids for the Future? Sri Lanka takes immense pride in its free education system, which has produced high literacy rates and a skilled diaspora. Yet as the country navigates economic recovery and global technological shifts, a pressing question emerges: is the current education system adequately equipping children with […]