Although universities can play a crucial role in shaping state policies, they often do not receive the attention they deserve in practical government decision-making. To address this issue, universities need to actively engage in ongoing dialogue and collaboration with policymakers and other stakeholders. While academic research and recommendations are valuable, they must be communicated effectively to policymakers. The challenge lies in recognizing that political considerations and various practical constraints may take precedence over purely academic or research-based findings.

Sri Lanka has an expanding culture of impunity, explained by ethnic divisions among its population. Gross human rights violations, war crimes, and economic crimes are worsening, yet the processes for justice and accountability have neither been effective nor sustained. In response to these issues, PUJA aims to build public support for justice and accountability processes across these divides by facilitating collaboration between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) backed by international support, pressuring states to ensure justice and accountability.

PACT aims to mainstream the concept of pluralist coexistence within a rights framework and take it to a wider constituency. It is a long-term intervention, the continuation of several previous interventions, with funding support from Misereor and supplemented with funding from the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD).

Due to the aftermath of the economic crisis and the rise of the protest movement, concerns over freedom of association and protecting civic space have become major concerns when striving for a pluralistic society. To address these issues, a Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) supported project entitled Protecting Civic Space was proposed. This initiative assists the public, with an emphasis on the vulnerable strata, to be empowered to understand their right to freedom of association, freedom of assembly, and privacy protection.

WOICE capacitates, mentors, and strengthens a group of 42 female super activists (selected sub-national female civic leaders) involved in the ongoing movement to reform the state structure and introduce a system change in its 15-month programme. This initiative provides an opportunity to develop the framework of a more just and inclusive society in which the rights of political participation and decision-making power by women of all ethnic and religious groups are strengthened. These super activists represent the districts of Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matara, Monaragala, Kegalle, Ratnapura, and Gampaha.

ARC targets the engagement of religious leaders, state officials, community policing units, integration structure of the state, and youth in 14 Local Inter-Religious Committees (LIRCs) to sustain religious freedom within the framework of pluralism and Rule of Law over a period of 40 months starting August 2021. The LIRCs targeted are Vavuniya Town in Vavuniya district, Mannar Town in Mannar district, Akurana in Kandy district, Beruwala in Kalutara district, Negombo in Gampaha district, Weligama in Matara district, Addalachenai in Ampara district, Godakawela in Ratnapura district, Kattankudy in Batticaloa district, Trincomalee Town in Trincomalee district, Panduwasnuwara in Kurunegala district Kuliyapitiya in Kurunegala district, Mawanella in Kegalle district, and Bandarawela in Badulla district.

A functioning Office on Missing Persons (OMP) was established to address long term injustices faced by families of the disappeared. Due to dismal feedback, review meetings were conducted to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of OMP services received by victims’ families. To respond to these issues, CapT was introduced as an initiative to improve the capacity of OMP staff, grant closure to families of missing loved ones, endow family’s interim compensation until a final verdict is determined, and ensure that they are included in the post war transition process.