Amnesty International says that human rights compliant recovery measures are critical to stop spiraling hunger and poverty in Sri Lanka.
Amnesty International said in a new report on Tuesday (4) that the Sri Lankan authorities and the international community must fully incorporate human rights into their responses to the country’s economic crisis, as people in the country face serious concerns around access to healthcare while being driven to the brink of starvation, widespread malnutrition, and deep poverty.
The report, “We are near total breakdown”: Protecting the rights to health, food and social security in Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, explores the catastrophic impact of the crisis on the economic and social rights for the people of Sri Lanka.
It added that the Sri Lankan authorities and donor States must ensure that they meet their obligations under international human rights law by safeguarding the rights to health and adequate food in all aid agreements.
The government of Sri Lanka and international financial institutions must also conduct human rights impact assessments before implementing economic reforms; it remains unclear as to whether these have been or will be conducted.