About the SLB

The Sri Lanka Barometer (SLB) is a research initiative to deepen the understanding of how Sri Lankans perceive reconciliation and its most salient dimensions, as well as to track progress in each of these dimensions.

The Sri Lanka Barometer Initiative

The Sri Lanka Barometer initiative (SLB) consists of three components: nationally representative public opinion surveys conducted every two years; complementary research to further explore the findings of the surveys, primarily using qualitative methods; and communcations and outreach work. The overarching objective of the SLB is to inform public discourse and policymaking in the country’s pursuit of greater unity and inclusion.

The SLB was piloted under the Strengthening Reconciliation Processes in Sri Lanka (SRP) program between 2018 and 2022 and is now supported by the program Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka (SCOPE). Both SRP and SCOPE are co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ, in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka Barometer Consortium

Operating through strategic partnerships with diverse national and international entities, the SLB ensures that a broad range of perspectives and expertise enrich and inform its work. This collaborative setup not only enhances methodological robustness but also safeguards the initiative's objectivity and impartiality. Currently, the SLB partners include the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) in South Africa, the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), and the Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka (SCOPE) program, co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka.

IJR is a core partner that has supported the establishment of the SLB from its inception, giving fundamental guidance on the overall concept, methodology and strategic considerations as some leading experts worldwide. IJR also leads plays a crucial role in the design of the survey and the analysis of survey results, and from 2024 will give trainings for journalists, CSOs and other stakeholders on how to make sense of the quantitative data and use it in their work.

SCOPE is a core partner that coordinates and oversees overall implementation, while also contributing to the quantitative and qualitative work of the SLB. SCOPE further runs the SLB's website and social media channels and organises events to strengthen public discourse based on the SLB's findings. SCOPE is co-financed by the EU and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka.

CEPA is an associate partner of the SLB and implements the SLB Young Researchers Program, guiding university students in complementing the SLB survey findings with qualitative research. CEPA has further contributed to the 2020 and 2021 SLB Surveys and to the 2022 SLB Snapshot Survey by contextualising survey findings. CEPA has also written a thematic study published by the SLB on Youth and Identity Discourse in Sri Lanka.

Conceptualising the Sri Lanka Barometer

During its inception, the SLB organised discussions with researchers and other experts in the field of reconciliation and held community consultations across the country to ensure that the SLB's theoretical framework both reflected the relevant academic discussion and remained grounded in the lived realities of Sri Lankans.

The community consultations showed that people’s thoughts and experiences on reconciliation are diverse, dynamic, context-specific, and very personal. Based on this, the SLB does not follow one fixed definition of reconciliation but rather understands it as 8 interlinked dimensions identified as relevant in the Sri Lankan context through community consultations and expert discussions. These 8 dimensions were further established in eight concept notes.
  • Dealing with the past

  • Justice for all

  • Identity and Belonging

  • Interpersonal, social, and political trust

  • Equality of Opportunity

  • Active Citizenship

  • Accountable governance

  • Security and Wellbeing

Concept Notes

Download our concept notes to learn more abut the 8 dimensions of reconciliation identified by the SLB as relevant for Sri Lanka through community consultations and expert discussions.

Dealing with
the Past

This concept note by Nilakshi de Silva explores the "Dealing with the Past" domain.

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Identity
& Belonging

This concept note by Kalinga Tudor Silva explores the "Identity & Belonging" domain.

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Equality of Opportunity

This concept note by Gehan Gunatilleke explores the "Equality of Opportunity" domain.

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Security
& Wellbeing

This concept note by
Kusala Wettesinghe
explores the "Security & Wellbeing" domain.

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Interpersonal, social and political trust

This concept note by Ramesh Ramasamy explores the "Trust"
domain.

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Active
Citizenship

This concept note by
Mario Gomez explores the “Active Citizenship”
domain.

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Justice
for All

This concept note by Ambika Satkunanathan explores the "Justice for All" domain.

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Accountable Governance

This concept note by Shakti Sri Devapura explores the "Accountable Governance" domain.

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