Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Sri Lanka has faced violent extremist attacks and uprisings since the 1980s, including the 26-year civil conflict and the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings by IS-inspired suicide bombers. These events have fueled anti-Muslim sentiment and ethnic tensions, leading to riots and mob attacks.

In Sri Lanka, the drivers behind violent extremism are: ethnic and religious tensions, limited economic opportunities and a lack of sense of purpose. GCERF began investing in the country in 2021 and till date USD 1.8 million has been invested to address these drivers of violent extremism.

OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY IN SRI LANKA

GCERF’s investment strategy outlines a comprehensive approach
to address the drivers of violent extremism and guides civil society
organisations in designing their programmes.

To achieve these objectives, GCERF funds programmes that:

Enhance youth awareness on violent extremism and strengthen resilience against hate speech

Provide skills training to youth for improving their livelihood and employment

Improve trust and interactions between youth and people from other religious and ethnic communities

KEY FIGURES

(cumulative from 2021 to March 2025)

Grant

Civil society organisations

Total amount invested (in USD)

0 M

People trained in critical thinking, conflict resolution skills and early warning sigs of radicalisation

individuals, primarily youth, benefited from initiatives that strengthened critical thinking, promoted tolerance, improved livelihoods and enhanced trust with diverse communities. These have contributed to greater community resilience against violent extremism