The Activities of Thematic Areas CEPA

The Activities of Thematic Areas CEPA

The principal activities of CEPA encompass research related to poverty, advisory services, training, dialogue and exchange.  CEPA’s work is structured with the following programs/  thematic areas.

1. Basic Services & Social ProtectionCEPA has been examining the connection between poverty and quality, timeliness, experience and outcomes of public services in a number of research and advisory studies. Its work focuses on the social protection and service delivery in education, health, transport, water, and waste management sectors. Our studies find that access to services in Sri Lanka used to be reasonably good, but experience and outcomes vary considerably amongst the different segments of the society. We note that gender, disability, ethnicity and identity determine the efficacy of delivery of services. We do note that poor and marginalized do have poorer experience and outcomes. Economic crisis has changed the provision of services significantly and the quality and quantities of the services are on a declining trend. Poverty measurements, exclusion and inclusion errors in social protection programs, inequalities in access to services, and declining quality of services, which exacerbate the suffering of the poor and the marginalized segments of the population are focus areas of CEPA.
2. Natural Resources, Climate and PovertyAside from natural resources’ ecosystem services, supply of inputs to the production economy, communities are dependent on them for both sustenance and livelihoods. When such resources are depleted, it exacerbates existing systemic insecurities and injustices that make the poor even more vulnerable to both natural and societal risks. Climate change increasingly add more pressure on vulnerable communities. In exploring such phenomena, this thematic focuses on the scientific, socio-economic, and institutional processes and interlinkages between natural resources, climate change, and poverty. The thematic aims to create a body of knowledge on such interconnections to advocate for system-wide changes for a more holistic, sustainable development which will push for a radical transformation in our value systems, in how we function and lead our lives within the boundaries of natural limits.
3. Labour MigrationCross-border migration from South to North and its impact on nation-states is receiving an unprecedented attention in public and academic discourse. These in turn are largely taking focus away from the South-South bound migration for work and the more subtle, invisible forms of migration that take place within national borders. Despite rapid changes taking place in labour migration in Sri Lanka, research have not kept pace with these changes. Human trafficking, labour exploitation, discriminatory government policies the impact of migration on families and household economy are highly dynamic and evolving. This thematic closely monitors the impact of dynamic contextual changes linked to ongoing political and economic crisis on migration trends. The thematic continues to advocate for the importance of addressing precariarity in labour migration in times of crisis through coordinated efforts from the government, employers, civil society organizations and international organizations.

4. Social Cohesion and Reconciliation

   The Social Cohesion and Reconciliation thematic continues CEPA’s work on poverty and conflict, with a specific focus on existing and emergent inequalities in post-war Sri Lanka. The thematic will inquire into the need for a more diversified and strengthened reconciliation process, and relevance of community driven reconciliation processes. Sub thematic foci within this theme include but are not exclusive to, local governance,             lack of land rights, uneven development and poor infrastructure, growing inter and intra community tensions, youth unrest and unemployment, lack of access to higher education,  rising levels of debt and horizontal inequalities.

5. Gender and Development
   
   The gender and development thematic cuts across every thematic area of work at CEPA. It will contribute towards ensuring that our research and resultant policy recommendations continue to be holistic, with a conscious effort made to incorporate gender as one of the many intersections of poverty and development in addition to factors such as religion, ethnicity, caste, class and other socio-economic considerations. In a context where the emphasis on gender equality and social justice is growing, the thematic will draw from CEPAs experience, to lend a nuanced understanding of the gendered impacts of poverty in both new and existing areas of study. The current work of the thematic include a study on period poverty, gender segregated assessment on flatform workers,  and the impact of higher electricity prices on women and women headed micro medium and small enterprises.
6. Training and Capacity BuildingResearch and Training and Capacity Building have a causal relationship. Both are inseparable elements in a process that supports the growth of an organization. Training is a responsibility, which is nurtured by both the trainer and trainee. Thus, the more consistent and relevant the training become the more realistic and passionate stance it achieves. The Training and Capacity building arm of CEPA offers sustained programs of training internally and externally to face the changing needs of the current socio-economic context of Sri Lanka. The specific objectives are therefore is to increase individual capacity building for research and support staff, specific training and learning programmes for researchers, short courses for the public, facilitating international student forums and engage in conducting capacity building research supporting the communication efforts of the key objectives of CEPA in poverty reduction research.

THEMATIC AREAS CEPA

1. Basic Services & Social Protection:CEPA examines the links between poverty and services through various studies, focusing on social protection and education, health, transport, water, and waste management sectors. The economic crisis has led to a decline in service quality and quantity. While examining the effects of economic crisis on service delivery, CEPA addresses poverty measurements, errors in social protection programs, and inequalities in access to service, which exacerbate the challenges faced by the poor and marginalized communities.
2. Natural Resources, Climate and Poverty.Communities rely on natural resources for sustenance and livelihoods and depletion of the resources and climate change exacerbates systemic insecurities and injustices, increasing the vulnerability of the poor. This thematic focuses on the linkages among natural resources, climate change, and poverty to advocate for system-wide changes that promote holistic, sustainable development and a radical transformation in our value systems and lifestyles within natural limits.
3. Livelihoods and Employment.On going crises are reshaping livelihoods and employment of people in Sri Lanka. This thematic group focuses on  rural livelihoods and employment in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Special attention will be given to the care sector, exploring the role of unpaid care work overall wellbeing of families and the impact of economic crisis on fisheries and the agriculture sector while continue to address gender issues.
4. Labour Migration:Cross-border migration often overshadows South-South migration and intra-country migration. In Sri Lanka, research has not kept pace with changes in labour migration. Issues like human trafficking, labour exploitation, and discriminatory policies are often ignored, alongside with the impacts on  families, household economy and decent work. This thematic explores the socio-economic and political aspects of labour migration and monitors the effects of the economic crises on migration and advocates for addressing precarity in labour migration through coordinated efforts from government, employers, civil society, and international organizations.
5. Social Cohesion and Reconciliation.This thematic continues CEPA’s work on poverty and conflict, focusing on existing and emerging inequalities in post-war Sri Lanka. It examines the need for a more diversified and strengthened peace and reconciliation process and explores community-driven reconciliation. Key areas include: local governance, lack of land rights, community tensions, rising debt, and horizontal inequalities.

6. Gender and Development.This thematic is integral to CEPA’s work across all areas, ensuring its research and policy recommendations are gender sensitive. It incorporates gender as a key intersection of poverty and development, alongside factors like religion, ethnicity, caste, class, and other socio-economic considerations. Current studies include period poverty, gender-segregated assessments of platform workers, and the effects of higher electricity prices on women and women-headed micro, medium, and small enterprises.
7. Training and Capacity Building.Research and Training and Capacity Building are essential components with a causal relationship, crucial for supporting organizational growth. CEPA’s Training and Capacity Building arm offers sustained programs internally and externally to meet Sri Lanka’s evolving socio-economic needs. Specific objectives include: increasing individual capacity building; specialized training and learning programs for researchers; international student forums, capacity-building research to support CEPA’s poverty reduction efforts