Mangroves play a vital role in protecting both the environment and local livelihoods. In Nayaru Lagoon in Sri Lanka’s Mullaitivu District, they act as natural buffers against storms, reduce coastal erosion, and provide breeding grounds for fish and other aquatic species. However, years of conflict and environmental degradation has weakened these life-sustaining ecosystems, exposing the ...

In Sri Lanka’s Central and Uva provinces, Field Maternal and Child Health Centres (FMCHCs) play a vital role offering free, essential healthcare services to vulnerable communities. However, health clinics in remote villages are in a state of disrepair and lack adequate facilities, inconveniencing both patients and healthcare professionals. To improve access to health services, UN-Habitat ...

Families in remote villages in Sri Lanka’s Central Province face difficulties in accessing health care facilities due to long travel distances and the lack of regular transport to towns. Field Maternal and Child Health Centres (FMCHC) located in villages play a vital role in bridging this gap by offering free, essential healthcare services to vulnerable ...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable communities in Sri Lanka’s central province faced challenges in accessing nutritious food sources due to inter-regional transportation issues. During this time, many families resorted to home gardening to supplement their food supply. However, they were hampered by challenges including lack of funds to purchase quality seeds and fertilizers, lack of ...

Mr. Lindapitiya is a vegetable farmer from the Nawakadadora Grama Niladhari (GN) division in Nuwara Eliya district. For the past 25 years, he has been cultivating vegetables such as bell peppers, leeks, carrot, potato, and cabbage on half an acre (80 perch) plot of land.  However, over the past few years, Mr. Lindapitiya had faced ...

A case study from Maratimpatru DS division in Mullaitivu district Sri Lanka  Karthika, a 32 year old, is a fulltime homemaker, and her husband, Thilidas, who is 34 years old is a fisherman, and they have a 12 year old son together. The current economic crisis of the country has aggravated the financial situation of ...

A Case Study of 9 Provincial Cities in Sri Lanka UN-Habitat Best Practice Monthly Feature – January 2019 How are cities using data to inform evidence-based policies? Find out in the UN-HABITAT January edition of the Best Practice Monthly feature, where we use a case study of 9 Provincial Cities in Sri Lanka. We’ve highlighted ...

Muthukumar Sandrakanthi was only 36-years old when a charging elephant took her husband’s life. He had tried to settle his family in Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, but with a conflict underway, Sandrakanthi had no time to grieve – she had four children to raise and protect. Thivahar, her youngest son, was only four-years ...

Indian Housing Project in Central and Uva Provinces The Indian Housing Project in the Central and Uva Provinces (IHP-CUP) is a housing construction project for estate workers funded by the Government of India. UN-Habitat is implementing the project in Nuwara Eliya district in close collaboration with the Ministry of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and ...

Human Development Initiative through Empowerment and Settlement Improvement in the Plantation Settlements in Sri Lanka March 2018, Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka:  Well-maintained internal access roads are vital for the smooth functioning of villages. In the central hilly regions of Sri Lanka, where the steep, mountainous terrain makes accessibility difficult, paved roads are a major asset ...

Human Development Initiative through Empowerment and Settlement Improvement in the Plantation Settlements in Sri Lanka. Common indoor spaces are vital for communities in rural Sri Lanka as places to meet, hold special events and to obtain extended government services. In many villages, especially in the central hilly regions, such common buildings are not readily available ...

In May 2017, heavy rains resulted in floods and landslides affecting over 630,000 people in Sri Lanka, with 203 people losing their lives. In response to this major national crisis, UN-Habitat provided relief assistance to over 6,500 families in the districts of Kalutara and Galle districts through the project “Emergency Shelter Relief for Flood and ...