Country

Organization

Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)

CHRD was initiated 1997 by a group of human rights lawyers and activists for the protection and promotion of human rights in Sri Lanka. The organization was established during the height of the ethnic war, which generated enormous human rights violations and abuse against ethnic minorities. CHRD has documented countless cases of unlawful arrest, detentions, disappearances and sexual violence—all of which are at the roots of the deep political and socio-economic problems in the country—and is working to raise awareness about and rectify these injustices. The organization is also defending the land rights of ethnic minorities, as lands occupied by these populations for generations have been seized for military infrastructure and large-scale development projects.

Project

Natural Resource Rights of Conflict-Affected Communities

To launch a public awareness-raising campaign, document land rights abuses, initiate two strategic litigation cases on behalf of communities at risk of losing their land, and hold workshops for at-risk communities in the north and east.