About The SLB

The Sri Lanka Barometer (SLB) is a research initiative to deepen the understanding of how Sri Lankans perceive reconciliation and its most salient dimensions, as well as to track progress in each of these dimensions.

The Sri Lanka Barometer Initiative

The Sri Lanka Barometer initiative (SLB) consists of three components: nationally representative public opinion surveys; complementary qualitative research to further explore the findings of the surveys; and outreach work. The overarching objective of the SLB is to inform public discourse and policymaking in the country’s pursuit of greater unity and inclusion.

The SLB was piloted under the Strengthening Reconciliation Processes in Sri Lanka (SRP) program between 2018 and 2022 and is now supported by the program Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka (SCOPE). Both SRP and SCOPE are co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ, in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka Barometer Consortium

The SLB is steered and implemented by a consortium of partners that jointly take strategic decisions on the design and the direction of the initiative. Currently, the SLB Consortium consists of three partners: the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) in South Africa, who lead the quantitative research component; the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), who lead on qualitative research component; and the Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka (SCOPE) program, who lead the outreach component and are responsible for overall coordination of the initiative.

IJR has supported the establishment of the SLB from its inception, giving fundamental guidance on the overall concept, methodology and strategic considerations as some leading experts worldwide. IJR also leads on the quantitative research work, playing a crucial role in the design of the survey and the analysis of survey results, and from 2023 will give trainings for journalists, CSOs and other stakeholders on how to make sense of and use quantitative data in their work.

CEPA joined the SLB Consortium in 2021 and supports the development of the SLB Public Perception Surveys by contextualising IJR’s methodological input, bringing in its experience working with grassroot communities to ensure that lived realities are captured in the survey. In 2023, CEPA will launch the SLB Young Researchers Program, guiding university students in complementing the SLB survey findings with qualitative research.

While SCOPE contributes to the quantitative and qualitative work of the SLB, its main role lies in overseeing overall implementation and coordinating the SLB Consortium. SCOPE further runs the SLB's website and social media channels and organises events to strengthen public discourse based on the SLB's findings. SCOPE is co-financed by the EU and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka.

Conceptualising the Sri Lanka Barometer

During its inception, the SLB organised discussions with researchers and other experts in the field of reconciliation and held community consultations across the country to ensure that the SLB's theoretical framework reflected the relevant academic discussion and remained grounded in the lived realities of Sri Lankans.

The community consultations showed that people’s thoughts and experiences on reconciliation are diverse, dynamic, context-specific, and very personal. Based on this, the SLB does not follow one fixed definition of reconciliation but rather understands it as 8 interlinked domains identified as relevant in the Sri Lankan context through community consultations and expert discussions. These 8 domains were further established in eight concept notes.
  • Dealing with the past

  • Justice for all

  • Identity and Belonging

  • Interpersonal, social, and political trust

  • Equality of Opportunity

  • Active Citizenship

  • Accountable governance

  • Security and Wellbeing

Concept Notes

Download our concept notes to learn more abut the 8 domains of reconciliation identified by the SLB as relevant for Sri Lanka through community consultations and expert discussions.

Dealing with
the Past

This concept note by Nilakshi de Silva explores the "Dealing with the Past" domain.

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Identity
& Belonging

This concept note by Kalinga Tudor Silva explores the "Identity & Belonging" domain.

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Equality of Opportunity

This concept note by Gehan Gunatilleke explores the "Equality of Opportunity" domain.

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Security
& Wellbeing

This concept note by
Kusala Wettesinghe
explores the "Security & Wellbeing" domain.

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Interpersonal, social and political trust

This concept note by Ramesh Ramasamy explores the "Trust"
domain.

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Active
Citizenship

This concept note by
Mario Gomez explores the “Active Citizenship”
domain.

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Justice
for All

This concept note by Ambika Satkunanathan explores the "Justice for All" domain.

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Accountable Governance

This concept note on the "Accountable Governance" domain is currently being revised.

Coming soon