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UN Report highlights ongoing impunity for ConflictRelated Sexual Violence in Sri Lanka

2026-01-16

A new report by the United Nations Human Rights Office has found that conflictrelated sexual violence in Sri Lanka remains largely unaddressed, with survivors continuing to be denied justice years after the end of the armed conflict. Titled We Lost Everything Even Hope for Justice, the report draws on more than a decade of UN investigations and consultations with survivors, civil society, and genderbased violence experts.

The report concludes that sexual violence during and after the conflict was widespread and systemic, and that the lack of accountability, acknowledgement, and reparations has created a lasting legacy of impunity. Survivors, including both men and women, continue to suffer severe physical and psychological consequences, including chronic injuries, infertility, trauma, and suicidal thoughts. Many also face stigma, social isolation, and economic hardship, with little access to support services or justice mechanisms.

The report further highlights an ongoing climate of surveillance, intimidation, and fear, which has contributed to underreporting and discouraged survivors from seeking justice. According to the UN, sexual violence in conflict constitutes a serious violation of international law and may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, placing a legal obligation on Sri Lanka to investigate and prosecute such violations and provide reparations to survivors.

The findings also note that militarization and emergency legal frameworks have contributed to an environment in which genderbased violence continued even after the conflict ended in 2009.The report calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate and concrete steps, including publicly acknowledging past abuses, issuing a formal apology, implementing survivorcentered reforms, and ensuring access to justice and psychosocial support.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk emphasized that recognition, truth, accountability, and reparations are essential to restoring dignity to survivors and advancing reconciliation in Sri Lanka.