Representatives of the United Nations Technical Electoral Needs Assessment Mission held a series of consultation meetings at the Sri Lankan Parliament with key stakeholders to explore opportunities for international support aimed at strengthening the country’s electoral processes.

According to a statement from the Department of Communication of Parliament, the UN delegation met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and a group of government Members of Parliament. They also held separate discussions with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Opposition MPs, as well as with members of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and the Parliamentary Caucus for Youth.

The visit, conducted at the request of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, focused on gathering insights from a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, political parties, election observers, civil society representatives, and development partners. Discussions centered on enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity of the electoral system.

Key topics included improving electoral integrity and transparency, increasing women’s political participation, promoting political literacy and voter education, advancing digitalization in the electoral process, protecting voting rights, and addressing challenges faced by youth and women in politics.

The UN delegation commended the Election Commission for its role in maintaining the credibility and transparency of Sri Lanka’s electoral framework and expressed readiness to provide technical assistance to support ongoing and future electoral reforms.

The delegation included senior officials from UN Headquarters — Ms. Michele Griffin, Director of the Electoral Assistance Division; Mr. Dan Malinovich, Electoral Policy Specialist; Ms. Amanda Stark, Political Affairs Officer in the Asia and the Pacific Division; and Ms. Mikyong Kim, Political/Electoral Affairs Officer.