Sri Lanka: UNODC, Legal Aid Commission train police officials on promoting Access to Justice and Fundamental Rights

Galle, Sri Lanka/14 May 2023:  Upholding human rights and ensuring access to justice are fundamental pillars for building a just and inclusive society. By promoting access to justice, individuals can seek redress for grievances, hold perpetrators accountable, and secure their rights. This fosters a sense of trust and confidence in the legal system, leading to societal harmony and a stronger rule of law.

In this respect, UNODC, with support from the UN Secretary General’s Peace Building Fund (PBF), is implementing a project aimed at fostering peace in Sri Lanka through promoting access to justice and protecting the rights space.

As part of this initiative, training was delivered to 43 officials from the Sri Lankan Police in Galle, Sri Lanka.

The training provided participants with a better understanding of fundamental rights in Sri Lanka, particularly in custodial settings, and emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of victims and witnesses of crimes. Discussions also addressed the challenges that hinder the implementation of fundamental rights, such as fear of stigmatization, cultural perceptions, social alienation, and lack of faith in law enforcement.

The workshop equipped officials to recognize the importance of protecting fundamental rights and implementing relevant legal provisions. Through this initiative, participants learnt about applicable legal frameworks and provisions, and the necessary redress and referral mechanisms for communities.

Two Supreme Court judges, two Senior Deputy Solicitor Generals of Attorney General’s Department, two senior defense counsels and a senior lawyer delivered sessions covering aspects of fundamental rights protection such as avoiding death and torture in custody, addressing human rights problems, analysis of statutory provisions and the Criminal Procedure Code and the Constitution, among others.

The workshop was delivered in collaboration with Sri Lanka's Legal Aid Commission and is part of a larger effort to promote peace and justice in the country. By empowering officials and communities alike to protect fundamental rights, the aim is to foster an environment of trust, support, and cooperation in Sri Lanka.

This activity contributed to SDG 5, SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/

(Supported by the UN Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund)