Impact of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis on LGBT+ population: Housing

Impact of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis on LGBT+ population: Housing

The objective of this policy brief is to assess how Sri Lanka’s political upheaval and economic crisis has exacerbated existing structural weaknesses and negatively impacted the housing rights of LGBT+ communities. 

LGBT+ communities’ access to justice and rights to remedy for human rights violations are cross-cutting themes.
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Summary

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has been driving millions of people into poverty, jeopardising their fundamental rights and freedoms. The crisis was multi-dimensional and comprised food insecurity, a dire shortage of fuel and transport, loss of livelihoods, shortage of essential medicine and healthcare equipment.

Disenfranchised groups, such as women, children, and LGBT+ communities have been disproportionately affected by the crisis, while incidents of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) are reportedly increasing.

The crisis adversely affected the basic rights of Sri Lanka’s LGBT+ population. During the crisis many LGBT+ people alongside many others lost their means of earning a living. An issue that is compounded for many LGBT+ people given the discrimination and exclusion they continue to face.