The Situation in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a history of great achievements and equally great divides. It was one of the first developing countries in the world to establish the basic elements of a welfare state. By the late 1960s, Sri Lanka had built up an extensive system of social services with the Government providing not only education and health services but also direct subsidies to the poorest people in the form of either cash or food stamps. The results were impressive. Between the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s infant mortality fell from 41 to 25 deaths per 1,000 live births. Primary school enrolment reached 90% and Sri Lanka became a pioneer in gender equity. Girls’ enrolment was as high as that of boys, and women’s life expectancy was on a par with men’s. But these achievements masked some underlying disparities and friction. Sri Lanka has long had a diverse and multicultural population. Three-quarters of the population is Sinhalese, with substantial minorities of Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils, and Muslims along with a number of smaller groups. Crucially, these divisions also have a strong regional weighting. In particular Sri Lankan Tamils who are nationally a minority are the dominant group in the North and also strongly represented in the East.
Tensions between ethnic groups and demands for an independent Tamil state erupted into civil war in the early 1980s. The war lasted for two decades and still plagues the country despite a 2002 ceasefire agreement. The escalating cost of the war took a large toll on Sri Lanka seeing funds that could have been used towards health and well-being diverted to meet military needs. The war also forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes interrupting the lives of countless children and placing them in unsafe environs – without adequate access to education, inadequate health facilities and with little protection from child abuse and exploitation. The war was marked by an ongoing recruitment of children by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a situation which continues today. While a ceasefire was reached in early 2002, ethnic tensions continue to simmer and the security situation remains volatile. As the delicate peace process continued, Sri Lanka was struck with a second blow brought by the December 2005 tsunami. More than 35,000 people in ten districts around the island died and more than 890,000 lost their homes. The tsunami drew international attention to the plight of people struggling to reestablish their lives amidst extreme hardship. An unprecedented level of international support was forthcoming, but it was not the first or only disaster confronting the nation. Even before the tsunami, it was clear that much needed to be done to fully achieve children’s rights to growth and development. In addition to the war three major factors – i) regional disparities ii) the nutrition status of children and iii) quality of education - continue to impact forward achievement. The situation of women also bares great impact on the lives of children in the country.
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