The impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns followed by a crushing economic crisis provided Sri Lanka the perfect opportunity to rethink what social protection means for the country, who it should be for, what it should entail and how it should be operationalised. Unfortunately what we saw was a heavy focus on one new cash transfer programme Aswesuma, which replaced the existing Samurdhi programme. This Policy Brief presents a detailed critique of the Aswesuma programme and some pathways to the new government and policy makers to strengthen social protection in Sri Lanka.

Since the lockdown in March 2020, discussions with working-class poor communities in Colombo have primarily focused on budgets and prioritizing expenditure based on needs and income. The challenge is to transform these struggles into experiences where needs can be met with well-funded institutions.

The COVID pandemic has highlighted the importance of safe environments and the rights of everyone, including access to trees, gardens, and children's playtime. Advocacy must use data and intersections to make points clear, even in court, and translate intangible aspects into comprehensible language for policymakers.

Dispossession can have generational impacts on communities, causing loss of home, land, livelihood, and way of life. Involuntary resettlement is not fair, and it's crucial to ensure communities are not worse off post relocation.