A facilitation meeting was conducted in Horana for state officials including development officers and social service officers under the Protecting Civic Space (CPS) in Sri Lanka project to identify problems in the community focusing on the freedom of association.

The participants identified about 10 issues facing people in Horana such as drug addiction among young people, childhood pregnancy, early marriage, lack of proper waste management, unemployment, child abuse, school absenteeism, public transport issues, environmental pollution, care for senior citizens, lack of vocational training and absence of marketing facilities.

In order to address these diverse problems, participants at the facilitation meeting decided to form a committee called the Horana Civic Space Protection Committee and appoint a leader.

The committee agreed that freedom of association issues would be addressed with the support and guidance of NPC. The committee would also look into the other problems facing the community by preparing an action plan and acting as a pressure group to lobby and advocate for ways to solve them.