UN Report Highlights Continued Denial of Justice for Sexual Violence Survivors in Sri Lanka
Colombo, January 14, 2026 – A new report by the United Nations Human Rights Office has revealed that conflict-related sexual violence in Sri Lanka remains largely unaddressed, with survivors, both men and women, still denied long-overdue justice.
Titled “We lost everything – even hope for justice”, the Brief draws on a decade of monitoring by the UN Human Rights Office, as well as consultations with survivors, local experts, civil society groups, and others.
The report urges the Government of Sri Lanka to urgently advance domestic accountability and implement transformative reforms to address sexual violence during the country’s conflict, which ended in 2009. It highlights that the lack of accountability, acknowledgment, and reparations for gross human rights violations has created a legacy of impunity that continues to affect survivors today.
Many victims continue to suffer from chronic physical injuries, infertility, psychological trauma, and suicidal thoughts. Survivors and their representatives described an ongoing climate of surveillance, intimidation, and harassment, which has contributed to under-reporting, deep stigma, and the near absence of effective remedies.
The Brief emphasizes that sexual violence in conflict constitutes a serious violation of international law, potentially amounting to war crimes or crimes against humanity. Sri Lanka is legally obligated under multiple international treaties to prevent, investigate, and prosecute such violations and ensure reparation for survivors.
The UN report also notes that militarization and emergency legal frameworks have allowed gender-based violence, including sexual violence, to persist even after the conflict. Survivors recounted instances of rape, sexual mutilation, forced nudity, and public humiliation, often intended to cause lasting trauma and break down communities. One survivor described the experience as “a torture that never stops.”
The report further highlights the intergenerational impact of sexual violence, including stigma and discrimination against children born of rape, and calls for comprehensive survivor-centred reforms across the security sector, judiciary, and legal system. It urges the Government to publicly acknowledge past abuses, issue formal apologies, establish an independent prosecution office, and ensure access to psychological and social support.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk stressed that recognition, truth, accountability, and reparations are critical to restoring dignity to survivors and advancing reconciliation and healing in Sri Lanka.
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