Monday, 05 October 2026
Presenter: H.E.JayanthaJayasuriya
Location: New York
Statement delivered by Sri Lanka During the General Debate of the Third Committee - 2026
Monday, 05 October 2026
Mr./Madam Chair,
At the outset, allow me to congratulate you, Ambassador Larsen, on your election as the Chair of the Third Committee, and to extend my congratulations to the other members of the Bureau. Sri Lanka extends its full support and cooperation to you.
Sri Lanka aligns itself with the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
Mr./Madam Chair,
This Committee focuses on important aspects and factors impacting people’s lives. Its agenda reaches into the lives of children and women, older persons and persons with disabilities, refugees and migrants, and communities living with the consequences of discrimination and exclusion.
This December marks sixty years since the adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Together, they remind us of the breadth of the rights we have undertaken to protect. They also remind us that commitments must translate into improving people’s everyday lives.
Mr./Madam Chair,
Last November in Doha, the international community renewed its commitment to place people at the center of social progress. Sri Lanka welcomed the Doha Political Declaration. The task before us now is to translate those commitments into action.
Recent years have demonstrated Sri Lanka the vulnerability of ordinary families to crises. Our people carried the burden of a severe economic crisis. Soon after, Cyclone Ditwah brought further losses to communities across our island.
These experiences have reinforced our belief that social progress must be felt in people’s lives. Poverty has many dimensions. It can affect a child’s education and a family’s health and as a result cause an adverse impact on a whole community.
That understanding is at the heart of our Praja Shakthi national initiative. Nearly fourteen thousand Community Development Councils have been established across Sri Lanka, giving communities a direct role in identifying local priorities and helping shape the projects intended to improve their lives.
People themselves understand the needs of their communities and a Government works best when it listens to them.
This year also marks twenty years since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sri Lanka had the honour of presiding over the nineteenth session of its Conference of States Parties. That experience reinforced our conviction that inclusion should be part of how policies and public services are crafted from the beginning.
Mr./Madam Chair,
Sri Lanka has a proud history of women in national leadership. We gave the world its first woman Prime Minister, and today a woman again holds that office. Our Parliament also has more women members than at any point in our history.
The Women’s Empowerment Act and the establishment of our National Commission on Women have strengthened our national framework.
Mr./Madam Chair,
We have an enormous responsibility to our children. For most, the first source of care and security is the family, supported by the community around it.
Sri Lanka has offered free education for generations, alongside universal healthcare, and we are now reforming our schools so that children are prepared for a rapidly changing world including changes in the way people work. Our aim is that no child leaves school before completing thirteen years of education and that every child can find a path suited to its academic or vocational abilities.
As a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its first two Optional Protocols, as well as the key International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions concerning child labour, Sri Lanka remains firmly committed to upholding its international obligations and standards relating to the protection and promotion of the rights and well-being of children.
Child protection remains a key priority of the Government of Sri Lanka, which maintains a policy of zero tolerance towards sexual and gender-based violence. As a member of the Pathfinding Global Alliance to End Violence Against Children, Sri Lanka continues to advance legal, policy and institutional reforms to strengthen the protection of children from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation.
We pay particular attention to children who start furthest behind. The recently launched Diviyata Saviyak programme focuses on young people leaving Child Development Centers.
Sri Lanka is working on opening savings accounts for children growing up in Child Development Centers, helping ensure that they enter adulthood with something of their own
The circumstances of a person’s childhood should not set the limits of their future.
Mr./Madam Chair,
To live well, people must also feel that they belong.
Sri Lanka is a tapestry of different religions, languages, ethnic communities, and cultural traditions. Our history has shown us the cost of division and the importance of rebuilding social cohesion.
Our Constitution guarantees equality before the law and prohibits discrimination on grounds including race, religion, language, caste, and sex. Sri Lanka remains committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of every community, and to build a society founded on equality, non-discrimination and mutual respect for all.
As this year marks twenty-five years since the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles enshrined in the DDPA and to strengthening our collective resolve to build societies where diversity is respected, equality is advanced, and every human being can live with dignity and hope.
Mr./Madam Chair,
As a State Party to all nine core human rights Conventions, Sri Lanka has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to protecting and promoting human rights through decades of consistent, transparent, and meaningful engagement with the United Nations human rights regular mechanisms. Sri Lanka constructively engaged with the delegation of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) during its second visit to Sri Lanka from 15-24 June 2026. On 14 August 2026, Sri Lanka engaged in an interactive dialogue during its initial Review by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
In conclusion,
The work of this Committee will be judged far from this room, in homes and communities around the world.
Sri Lanka reiterates its firm belief that the work of this Committee will be vital to shaping a future that is more just, equitable, and inclusive. Therefore, let us recommit to the vision of the Charter, and work collectively towards building a United Nations that delivers meaningful results and positively impacts the lives of people around the world..
I thank you.