A special awards ceremony hosted by the Right to Life Human Rights Center recently took place at the Camelot Beach Hotel in Negombo, recognizing the most successful Human Rights First Aid Centers. Out of 14 shortlisted centers, the Gampaha Human Rights First Aid Center was named the most successful, with the Anuradhapura and Matara centers taking second and third place, respectively.
A unique highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of two women coordinators among the top three honorees. Mrs. Kusum Silva, the coordinator of the Gampaha Center, secured first place, while Mrs. Nilmini Ratnasekara of the Matara Center placed third. Mr. Nimal Dissanayake, coordinator of the Anuradhapura Center, received second-place recognition.
This marked the first time that the Right to Life Human Rights Center held a competition of this kind, to identify the most impactful centers for 2023/2024. Of the 24 currently operating Human Rights First Aid Centers across Sri Lanka, 17 actively engaged in 940 cases of human rights violations, fundamental rights violations, and civil and welfare issues from 2023 to August 2024.
Suneth Gajanayake, the program coordinator, explained the criteria for evaluating these centers, which included the number of cases each center intervened in, successful outcomes for victims, regional networking efforts, and social media engagement in raising human rights awareness. Special attention was given to initial interventions in fundamental rights cases, as well as advocacy for human rights protection.
In addition, Mr. Gajanayake revealed that four significant fundamental rights cases reported through these centers are currently being prepared for filing in the Supreme Court. He emphasized that the next round of evaluations will take place in 2025, with all 24 centers set to participate.
