Basic Services and Social Protection

CEPA has explored the connection between poverty and services in a number of research and advisory studies. CEPA has assessed access, quality, experience and outcomes of a number of services that include education, health, transport, social protection, water, and waste treatment. Our studies find that access to services in Sri Lanka is reasonably good, but experience and outcomes vary considerably. We also note that gender, disability and identity contribute to increased conditions of vulnerability and are barriers to accessing and/or benefiting from services. Whilst not postulating direction or causality, we do note that poor and/ or marginalized (e.g. caste (North), underserved settlements, plantations) do have poorer experience and outcomes (e.g. education).  These inequalities in access and benefiting from services is indeed a violation of rights and hence is a focus area of CEPA.