Assessments

GIZ. May 2023 – April 2025

Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) in partnership with the Strengthening Reconciliation Program (SRP) of GIZ, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), South Africa conformed to pilot the establishment of a Consortium to support research on deepening the understanding and expectations towards reconciliation and progress towards it.

Phase 1 of the study from April to September 2021 focused on evidence-based approaches to inform public discourse in both short and medium terms to contribute to evidence based political decision making, and resource allocation in the long-term.

The aim of the Phase II of the project (2023-2025) is to contribute to advancing social cohesion in Sri Lanka and strengthening a more pluralistic, inclusive, and fact-based discourse through high quality qualitative research outputs/knowledge products.

University of Sussex. May 2023-April 2025

The world economy has become increasingly reliant on the organisation of global supply chains, with industries such as apparel, leading the way (World Bank 2020). However, the Covid-19 pandemic made many of the key vulnerabilities of global lead firms, local suppliers, and workers at the heart of these globally integrated systems of production transparent. Some of the challenges faced were supply chains being disrupted, orders reduced/ cancelled, factories closed, workers losing their jobs, and making workers’ jobs further precarious.

The aim of the project, therefore, is to examine the resilience of a key European supply chain (the European – South Asian apparel production network) in a post-Covid19 context to shed light on the implications of the pandemic for the organisation of work and workers, the majority of whom are women.

Social Science Research Council (SSRC). March 2023-March 2024

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) contracted CEPA to develop the CEPA-SSRC webpage to host various scientific outputs generated by the respective country teams from India, Cambodia, Kenya, and Sri Lanka produced through the research carried out under the project ‘Rupture, Gendered Adaptation, and the Social Economy of Indian Ocean Fisheries’. Research findings carried out under this project will be disseminated via social media and other creative platforms, including the website.

Evolved Research and Consulting Ltd. February 2023-March 2024

CEPA was commissioned by Evolving Research and Consultancy Ltd. To carry out a survey for the collection of data on Abandoned, Lost, or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) as well as end-of-life (EOL) fishing gear in Sri Lanka. The objective of the research is to understand the overall fisheries sector in Sri Lanka, with a particular emphasis on the type of fishing gear used by all categories of fishers and marine plastic pollution in and around the ocean.

Phase 1 of the assignment (2022, 2023) aimed at understanding the then current state of the fisheries and to re-enforce the prevalence of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) around Sri Lanka.

Migration Policy Institute (MPI). Phase I and II. 2023-2024

The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) together with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has been researching on grey areas on financial inclusion in the digital remittance sector to understand how the pandemic has changed the usage of digital remittance services, and how it has favoured the development of certain services such as mobile money. The research further focuses on women and vulnerable groups and barriers they face to access digital financial services, including barriers linked to limited access to infrastructure, low levels of digital literacy, trust, and regulatory frameworks. In addition, the study also reflects on how development interventions can contribute to minimise any gaps.

CEPA’s contribution towards this research is to conduct focus group discussions on digital remittance services, and interview relevant public officials, private sector representatives in remittances and digital money transfers.

Ministry of Education, (funded by the ADB). April 2022- April 2024

This consultancy is being carried out by CEPA on behalf of the Ministry of Education for a project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The objective of the assignment is to plan and implement the Gender Action Plan (GAP) and achieve quantitative gender targets outlined in the project document. The assignment is targeted towards contributing to the improvement of Gender Equity and Empowerment at the project locations in the Technology Faculties of the Universities of Sabaragamuwa, Rajarata, Kelaniya and Sri Jayewardenepura.

SEI-The Stockholm Environment Institute. November 2021 to March 2024

CEPA is part of a research consortium led by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to carry out a study that will explore the causes of policy incoherence and its consequences for achievement of global climate and development goals and its impact on inequality. This is aimed at shedding light on how different national characteristics influence coherence and make policy-oriented recommendations on novel and coherent policy packages. In addition, the consortium will draw on cross-country policy learning to avoid exacerbating inequality as an outcome of incoherence. The team consists of researchers across 9 countries spanning the global North and South. In Sri Lanka CEPA’s has undertaken to carry out a case focussing on Sustainable Agriculture and Policy Coherence.

British High Commission. April 2023-March 2024.

CEPA is part of a research consortium with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Chrysalis to firstly map vulnerability and climate change driven conflict in the country, and thereafter based on selected criteria to pilot bio-physical, livelihood and governance interventions to reduce inequality and conflict by building community and broader capacities to manage contested natural resource systems within communities. The project considers climate change to be a threat multiplier and will undertake context specific climate change and conflict vulnerability hotspot analysis to inform community-led design and implementation of innovative interventions. Relevant government actors at all relevant scales will form an integral part of this process to support implementation, and also for learning and ownership pathway to increase the likelihood of post-project scaling.

The Westminster Foundation for Democracy Limited. 2023

CEPA was contracted by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) to study the impact of policy implementation gaps in the Health and Transport sectors on the already marginalised/underrepresented (in terms of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, disabilities/accessibility, the elderly communities in Sri Lanka. The study was prompted due to the political-economic crisis that has increased the poor quality of public services which in return has impacted individuals who fall through the cracks due to poor service provision by the state.

The aim of the 1^st phase of the study (January – March 2023) was to look at, through evidence-based research, the policy design, and gaps in policy implementation to support parliamentary oversight, accountability, and inclusion practices in areas relevant to the prevailing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

The Westminster Foundation for Democracy Limited. June-November 2023- Phase II

The Phase II of the study (June-November 2023) combines the two components of policy and budgetary analysis focusing the ‘intersectionality-based policy analysis approach’, keeping in accordance with the previous phase of the research.

The World Bank. 2023

The World Bank has financed an Emergency Social Protection project to support the implementation of cash transfers to address poverty and vulnerability, improve and enhance social protection systems, and promote economic opportunities for the poor and vulnerable.

CEPA was contracted to provide technical support, strengthen stakeholder engagement, understand, and respond to the concerns of potentially affected or impacted individuals and groups.

Southern Voice/SDPI and CPR joint implementation. 2022-2023

CEPA has been selected as a part of a Research Collaboratory to conduct a regional study to understand the impact of COVID-19 on Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan. The study is jointly implemented by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan and Centre for Policy Research (CPR), India and is funded by Southern Voice.

The objective of this study is to understand the effects of pandemic on micro and small businesses, business owners and employees. The study aims to collate the government, policy and/or enterprise responses to mitigate the effects the pandemic. The team will contribute to developing a country case study as well as a joint regional study.

The Asia Foundation. 2023

Most financial disputes are primarily loan repayment defaults, non-payment of lease instalments, hire purchase instalments, credit card payments, and non-payment of utility bills for services provided by private companies. The community mediation boards’ space to address other areas such as minor crime and family disputes in the community has been infringed upon, and it is apparent to obtain mediation boards to settle financial disputes. Such disputes require mediators with specialized knowledge in financial dispute resolution who can apply interest-based mediation principles to address and remove the root cause of the dispute. The Ministry of Justice has adopted a policy decision to establish Special Mediation Boards on Financial Disputes in Sri Lanka and pilot test to minimise these issues.

As a preliminary step to explore financial disputes, and to design training programs for mediators and awareness-raising programs, the Foundation commissioned CEPA to conduct a ‘Rapid Assessment of Community Level financial Disputes’ in six districts of Anuradhapura, Colombo, Gampaha, Kandy, Monaragala and Polonnaruwa. Recommendations from the study were produced to design awareness-raising programmes about community-level financial disputes.

The Asia Foundation. 2023

The Asia Foundation’s long-term flagship program in Sri Lanka has been supporting the Ministry of Justice and the Mediation Boards Commission since 1989. Community mediation boards provide voluntary and semi-formal dispute resolution mechanisms, and the Foundation has facilitated their establishment and trained mediators with interest-based mediation skills.

The Project ‘Rapid Assessment of Community-Level Land Disputes in the Uva Province’ commissioned by The Asia Foundation aimed at exploring land disputes in the Badulla and Monaragala Districts in the Uva Province. The Assessment contained studying the nature of land disputes, parties involved, ways in which the disputes were resolved, and the various mechanisms used by parties to settle such disputes. Recommendations from the study were to be produced to design awareness-raising programmes about community-level land disputes.

Search for Common Ground (FCG). 2023

Search for Common Ground initiated a program through CSOs and KNH Partners to address issues related to social cohesion and conflict transformation that affect women and children in selected communities.

The objective of the project was to generate and contribute towards a more peaceful Sri Lanka with priority towards the future generations; Strengthen and empower women’s civil society groups; Develop skills of KNH Partners to better understand conflict dynamics & to develop and re-design initiatives to increase social cohesion among targeted groups.

CEPA was contracted by CFCG to provide capacity building training on conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding to KNH Partners.

 Kindernothilfe (KNH) a German development organisation working with marginalised children.

Social Science Research Council (SSRC). 2022-2023

The objective of the project was to investigate the impact of environmental and economic “ruptures” on Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) in the Indian Ocean region (IO) This was carried out through a series of case studies across four countries spanning the greater Indian Ocean focusing Cambodia, India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka.

With an overarching research question to understand how different regional social economies of fisheries in the IO shape possibilities for adaptation to rupture, an international, interdisciplinary group of scholars aimed to plan and develop a comparative project that investigated emerging economic and environmental changes in the region. The project also investigated how these changes are mediated by intersectional social relations: gender, ethnicity/race, caste, class, and place.

UNDP. 2022-2023

The welfare benefits assessment led by the Welfare Benefits Board, is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Bank (WB). The Welfare Benefit Board has introduced a system to identify those in financial need amidst the current economic and political crisis. Accordingly, a QR code system has been developed for those who should register as beneficiaries of the welfare subsidy. The registered has been assessed through a digitised survey based on a set of 22 indicators, using a Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) approach. This survey has been translated into local languages and digitised on Kobo toolbox platform using a customised application called Aswesuma.

CEPA was commissioned to provide technical support to improve the survey tool, develop the training material and modules, and deliver training required to administer the CAPI survey. CEPA trained approximately, 30 master trainers, who function in the capacity of Trainer of Trainers (TOT) on the questionnaire/survey administered by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) and on CAPI by the Welfare Benefits Board and CEPA. Additionally, the master trainers provided training to Statistical Officers (SOs), Development Officers (Dos) and Enumerators at each GN Division to ensure that the survey purpose, indicator definitions, navigation, and use of the CAPI /Aswesuma platform are transferred to the DCS officers in local languages.

UN Women (Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand. 2022-2023

The Government of Japan, UN Women in partnership with the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment initiated a project titled ‘Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Sri Lanka (G7 Women, Peace and Security Partnerships Initiative)” in January 2020. The aim of the project was to empower women, including those in vulnerable situations to strengthen the peacebuilding process and social cohesion in Sri Lanka through implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP WPS).

CEPA was contracted by the Regional Office of the UN Women to carry out a review in Strengthening the Social and Economic Empowerment of Women Returnees in Resettled Communities in Sri Lanka. The aim of the project was to empower women including those in vulnerable situations, to strengthen the peacebuilding process and social cohesion in Sri Lanka including through implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP WPS).

The project sought to ensure that peacebuilding initiatives in Sri Lanka leverage women’s capacities, contributions and develop strategies for inclusion which recognize their roles and diverse experiences of conflict. To effectively engage with the gendered dynamics of peace, security, and rising intolerance, it is critical that prevention and response efforts prioritize women’s rights, empowerment, participation, and leadership at all levels, including at local and community levels.
The evaluation sought to provide useful learning to support evidence-based decision making, demonstrate accountability to donors and stakeholders, and inform and guide future peacebuilding programming at UN Women Sri Lanka and the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Search for Common Grounds. 2022-2023

SEARCH for Common Grounds contracted CEPA to carry out a capacity building exercise to address issues related to social cohesion and conflict transformation that affect women and children for CSO through the Kindernothilfe (KNH) Partners. The three primary objectives of this initiative were to (1) contribute towards a more peaceful Sri Lanka for future generations (2) Strengthen and empower women’s civil society groups and develop skills of KNH Partners to better understand conflict dynamics and develop/redesign initiatives to increase social cohesion among target groups.

ILO Sri Lanka. 2022-2023

The ILO Convention C 188 – Work in Fishing (2007) entered into force in November 2017 to address gaps in the Fishing Sector in relation to labour legislation and infrastructure requirements to promote decent work conditions in the fisheries sector.

The agreement provides provisions regarding minimum requirements of work on board, conditions of service, accommodation and food, occupational safety and health, medical care, and social security.  Sri Lanka is yet to ratify this convention but as a first step to encourage ratification, ILO conducted a study which identified the benefits fishers, boat owners and other stakeholders as well as, the fisheries industry would accrue from ratification of this convention.

In 2021, upon presenting the findings of this study to the Government of Sri Lanka, the government was of the view to explore the possibility to carry out a gap analysis of National legislation and Infrastructure Requirement against the requirement of the ILO C188 Convention (2007).

CEPA carried out a gap analysis to help Sri Lanka to advance with the ratification process by providing guidance on how existing legislation and infrastructure can be changed or complemented to comply with the provisions of the Convention.

University of South Carolina Rule of Law Collaborative – Think Tank Capacity Building (UOSC-ROLC TTCB). 2022

The Think Tank Capacity Building Project (TTCB) is a two-year project implemented by the University of South Carolina Rule of Law Collaborative (UOSC-ROLC) through a grant from the United States Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA). The objectives of the project are to foster regional and/or international connections, strengthen the institutional effectiveness and improve research quality and impact of think tanks in Sri Lanka.

TTCB commits to provide a series of capacity building services to five Think Tanks. UOSC-ROLC has partnered with Strategic Inspirations, Sri Lanka (SIPL) to better manage the grants and act as the primary implementing partner in Sri Lanka.

CEPA was offered a research grant to expand the conceptualization of post-war justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, and to contribute to an intersectional understanding of peace by including the voices of marginalized communities in the post-war discourse. This research sought to expand the conceptualization of post-war justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka and contribute to an intersectional understanding of peace through voices of marginalized communities in the post-war discourse.

The significance of the study, building on CEPA’s past work on coastal indigenous communities, and responding to issues highlighted by them, was to record the hitherto undocumented wartime narrative history and post-war displacement and resettlement experiences of coastal indigenous communities and in bringing these narratives into the dominant post-war discourse in Sri Lanka.

University of South Carolina Rule of Law Collaborative – Think Tank Capacity Building (UOSC-ROLC TTCB)/ Strategic Inspiration. 2022

As an extension of the research to Expand the Conceptualization of Post-War Justice and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka: Voices of Marginalized ‘Veder’ Communities Living in Trincomalee, CEPA was contracted to carry out a Dissemination-Advocacy of the research findings, based on the Policy Brief produced by CEPA.

This research was designed to expand the conceptualisation of post-war justice and reconciliation in the Sri Lankan context, and to contribute to an intersectional understanding of peace. It focused on voices of marginalised communities in the post-war discourse, and as a result, the research team re-visited the communities in Santhosapuram and Verugal to share the research findings, and conduct knowledge sharing activities. Various initiatives related to policy recommendations, stakeholder mapping, including engagement with political bodies were carried out, targeting development practitioners, CSOs and foreign missions to share the recommendations for awareness, and discuss the way forward.

CEPA undertook the final evaluation of the project to determine whether the project contributed towards the empowerment of women including those in vulnerable situations, to strengthen the peacebuilding process and social cohesion in Sri Lanka.

The evaluation sought to provide useful learning to support evidence-based decision making, demonstrate accountability to donors and stakeholders, and inform and guide future peacebuilding programming at UN Women Sri Lanka and the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. The learnings from the evaluation are geared to contribute towards knowledge, related to the benefits of engaging women in peacebuilding to support gender equality, women’s empowerment, diffusing triggers of violence, as proposed by the project.

UNOPS – UNDP/GEF SGP. 2022

UNOPS-UNDP/GEF SGP contracted CEPA to extend expertise support as the National Consultant with International Consultants to carry out the Terminal Evaluation of the Sixth Operational Phase of the GEF Small Grants Program that was administered by the UNDP.

The Final Evaluation was intended to assess relevance, performance, and success of the project, and evaluate potential impact and sustainability of results, contribution to capacity development and the achievement of global and national environmental goals. The Evaluation  identified and documented lessons learned, and proposed recommendations to improve the design and implementation of other related projects and programmes.

Search for Common Ground (SFCG). 2022

CEPA was contracted to carry out the final evaluation of the “Women in Learning and Leadership: Strengthening Women’s Voice and Participation in Political Decision-Making in Sri Lanka” project. This project implemented by Search for Common Ground was funded by the European Union under its Enhancing CSOs’ Contribution to Governance and Development Process in Sri Lanka programme.

The project was carried out in the Districts of Jaffna, Badulla, Kurunegala and Ampara. CEPA was the Evaluator to carry out the assignment by using scorecard, CAT as the tool for the review. The objective of applying the CAT methodology was to acquire a comprehensive evaluation of Women Leaders’ understanding of been responsible and accountable to their constituencies and enhance the ability to take leadership and build trustworthy relationships with their constituencies.

Oxfam Australia, Sri Lanka Office – 2022

The Oxfam-led Consortium commissioned CEPA to carry out the final evaluation of the project Enhancing Gender Inclusive Socio-Economic Development (EGSD) in Uva and Central Provinces in Sri Lanka.

This joint project by Oxfam, Save the Children International and Lanka Evangelical Alliance Development Services (LEADS) worked closely with young girls and boys both from estate and rural communities, women federations, local authorities, public bodies community-based organizations (CBOs) and private sector members to enhance socio-economic development of the identified communities. The overall objective of the project was to contribute to increase income levels and reduce poverty and inequality among rural and estate communities in Central and Uva provinces, Sri Lanka. In addition, the project aimed at enhancing the sustainable and diversified livelihoods of the rural and estate communities through inclusive gender-sensitive socio-economic development approach, in collaboration with the private and public sectors.

The British Council 2021-2022

SEDR is a four-year access to justice project of the Government of Sri Lanka, implemented by the British Council and funded by the European Union (EU), in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice and the Mediation Boards Commission. The project comprises four overarching results areas that seek to enhance the effectiveness and availability of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and mediation services in Sri Lanka, and to prevent escalating local disputes and thereby, foster social cohesion and more inclusive community-state engagement.

The objective of the project was to understand the general public’s knowledge on, and experience with the Community Mediation Board and propose alternative methods of dispute resolution and mediation services. The project was implemented in Eastern, Northern and Uva Provinces, specifically across six Districts of Ampara, Badulla, Mannar, Monaragala, Trincomalee and Vavuniya, within Divisional Secretariats.

An initial assessment of public awareness and mediation services, including the mediation boards (both community mediation boards and land SMBs) through a sample Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) survey was carried out.

Apart from contributing to the project’s foundational evidence base, the survey findings provided support to build an awareness raising strategy to articulate key gaps in understanding the best routes for information flow, key messaging, and a means of verification that messaging has been both received and taken on board.

The Asia Foundation; 2019- 2021

CEPA is in a research partnership with The Asia Foundation (TAF) to identify promising practices and challenges in integrating or separating services for victims of human trafficking and gender-based violence.  This is a regional study carried out with TAF offices in India and Nepal. The study aims to build on the Foundation’s existing work in the three countries on Trafficking Persons and specifically contribute towards the current need for intervention regarding trafficking in Sri Lanka. It is also believed that the study will provide a comparison of contexts in the countries which are countries of origin, transit and destination, and how each country deals with screening and providing support services for victims of trafficking in persons.

ILO. 2019-2020

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) awarded a contract to CEPA to carry out a study to Assess the Labour Market Demands of the Tourism Sector in Sri Lanka. The study aimed to better understand the migration trends from, and to the hospitality sector in Sri Lanka and the potential impact this has on the sector in terms of workforce shortages and skills enhancement etc. The study entailed primary data collection from returnee and aspirant migrant workers who have had work experience in the sector and interviews with identified stakeholders. The sites for data collection were Colombo, Galle and Kandy. In addition, a secondary data analysis, using data from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and the Department of Census and Statistics was used to carry out a labour market analysis.

UNICEF Sri Lanka. 2018-2019

Over the past decades, children have received relatively little attention in the global struggle against poverty, yet now the Sustainable Development Goals offer an unprecedented opportunity to change this. Goal 1 on eradicating poverty in all its forms everywhere is crucial for children, as for the first time there is an explicit commitment that all countries measure child poverty and strengthen policies and programmes to meet the child poverty reduction goal by 2030. A focus on child poverty is important because in almost every country in the world – richer countries and poorer – children are more likely to be living in poverty than adults, and everywhere their particular life stage makes them more vulnerable to its devastating effects. Hence, measurement of child poverty is important for developing appropriate child related policies; designing, implementing and mobilising funding for programmes and projects that target child poverty; and monitoring and evaluating impact of local and global initiatives on child poverty. In addition, Sri Lanka, together with other countries, has committed to reporting on Sustainable Development Goals, and this includes reporting on child poverty. However, there is no single recipe, no simple universal approach to implement the SDGs on child poverty.

As part of the assignment, a Round Table Discussion was held to a group of selected Stakeholders, representing state (Ministries of Health, Education, Policy Planning, Economic Development, Dept. of Census and Statistics) and development sectors to unpack issues related to the measurement of child poverty in Sri Lanka. As a follow up to the Round Table Discussion, CEPA developed three papers on indicators relating to child poverty, measurement options and policy issues. The Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) assisted with the process by participating in technical sessions and conducting a two-day workshop on poverty measurement.

In addition, a national conference was held in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution, the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) with Oxford Policy and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) for stakeholders working with children or children related issues on developing a framework for measuring child poverty in Sri Lanka. The objectives of the Conference were to foster a dialog on child poverty and reflect on the context and the deprivations faced by children in Sri Lanka; identify appropriate methods for the estimation of child poverty; discuss the most appropriate method for the estimation of child poverty in the country with examples from other countries; initiate a conversation on the use of such measures for policy making and program design, including national and sectoral plans and budget.