UN-Habitat Sri Lanka

01/09/2026

Participatory consultations to build safer and more resilient communities

To support communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in recovery and risk-informed settlement planning, UN-Habitat Sri Lanka in partnership with UNOPS Sri Lanka, IOM Sri Lanka and Maldives, and National Building Research Institute - NBRI, is implementing the project "Integrated Support to the National Building Research Institute (NBRI)" with financial support from the Australian High Commission, Sri Lanka.

To ensure resilient settlement planning in landslide affected areas, a series of participatory Stakeholder Analysis and Community Boundary Validation exercises were held recently in the Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Kegalle districts.

Conducted by UN-Habitat, these workshops brought together over 360 community members and stakeholders, including women, men, youth, elderly, and persons with disabilities. Grama Niladhari officers, and representatives from local institutions also actively participated in the consultations. Through open discussions and participatory mapping, communities identified key stakeholders, validated community boundaries, and shared their knowledge on local risks and priorities.

These community inputs will help strengthen the evidence base for hazard assessment, settlement planning and recovery recommendations.

The initiative will strengthen NBRI’s capacity to support risk-informed recovery, resilient settlement planning and safer infrastructure development, while ensuring that local knowledge and community priorities are reflected in the planning process.

20/08/2026

UN-Habitat Sri Lanka is conducting a series of community consultation workshops in settlements bordering the Kelani River in the cities of Colombo, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, and Kelaniya.

Community knowledge is a vital component in identifying pollution sources, climate-related risks, and locally appropriate resilience measures of the Kelani River catchment and water supply systems serving these cities.

Findings from these interactive workshops will be incorporated into Catchment Assessment Reports and Catchment Management Plans of Colombo, Kotte and Kelaniya as part of the project “Safe and Resilient Water Supply for Western Cities - Integrating Climate Resilience into Water Safety Plans of the Ambatale and Biyagama Water Supply Schemes”.

Funded by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) trust fund, IRAF, this project is implemented by UN-Habitat in collaboration with the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB).

Read more about this initiative: https://tinyurl.com/2xr63w2f

17/08/2026

Access to clean water supply and sanitation 💧🚰

UN-Habitat Sri Lanka in partnership with KOICA Sri Lanka Office / 코이카 스리랑카 사무소 supported communities in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla to improve their water supply and sanitation facilities.
The project established community water supply schemes, water quality testing laboratories, washroom facilities in schools, improved the water purification facility at Haddon Hill, water recycling facility at Lake Gregory and upgraded a community sewerage system.
Watch the video for the key WASH highlights!

14/08/2026

Across Sri Lanka, young people share the same hopes: to learn, to work, to belong, and to have the opportunity to shape their own futures.

06/08/2026

How partnerships are restoring access to life-saving care in Sri Lanka. UN-Habitat Sri Lanka and KOICA Sri Lanka Office / 코이카 스리랑카 사무소

In Sri Lanka's Central and Uva provinces, maternal and child health centres have been upgraded, bringing essential healthcare closer to thousands of people.

To address these challenges, UN-Habitat, with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), upgraded 47 FMCHCs across Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts under the project “Strengthening Socioeconomic Resilience of Communities Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka.”
Add Sri Lanka as location in the post, and tag Koica and UN-Habitat Sri Lanka.

From improved WASH facilities to disability-friendly access, these renovations are helping create safer, more inclusive communities where everyone can receive the care they need.

Read about how partnerships are restoring access to life-saving care: https://unhabitat.org/news/01-apr-2026/restoring-access-to-life-saving-care-in-sri-lankas-communities

26/07/2026

Today is the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems!

To help conserve and restore these vital ecosystems, communities in Mullaitivu District are restoring two hectares of degraded mangrove habitats in Nayaru Lagoon.

As part of the first phase of the restoration programme, more than 24,000 mangrove saplings have been planted, representing nearly 50 percent progress towards the overall target of planting 50,000 mangrove saplings.

During a recent field visit to monitor project progress, UN-Habitat and Government of Sri Lanka officials joined community members to plant mangrove saplings along the shores of Nayaru Lagoon. Mr. A Umamaheswaran, District Secretary of Mullaitivu, Mr. Leel Randeni, Director of the Climate Change Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment, the Planning Director, District Secretariat, Mullaitivu, and representatives from UN-Habitat actively participated in this initiative.

Communities are at the centre of the mangrove restoration efforts - responsible for the day-to-day management of five mangrove nurseries.

Funded by the Adaptation Fund, this project is implemented by UN-Habitat Sri Lanka in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Mullaitivu District Secretariat, and community-based organizations.

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/msrmzwh9

13/07/2026

Strengthening community resilience by improving agricultural livelihoods in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla Districts.🫑🍓

This video highlights the agriculture sector interventions of UN-Habitat Sri Lanka and KOICA Sri Lanka Office / 코이카 스리랑카 사무소 project "Strengthening Socioeconomic Resilience of Communities Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka"

08/07/2026

Seven ways to solve the housing crisis. 🏡🏘️

The most successful housing strategies don't focus on building homes alone.

They look at the entire ecosystem and create the right conditions for housing to be delivered at scale.

That means planning for affordable land, creating diverse housing options, investing in infrastructure, strengthening rental markets, mobilizing innovative finance, and working alongside communities rather than displacing them.

National Urban Policies also play a critical role by aligning housing, land and infrastructure with long-term urban development goals.

Ending the housing crisis will require collaboration across governments, communities, the private sector and financial institutions - but the good news is that *solutions already exist*.

The challenge now is scaling them.

Which of these seven actions do you think could have the greatest impact in your city?

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❓ Does your country want to host a major global event?

UN-Habitat is looking for countries to host two important international days in 2027:

- World Habitat Day (focused on housing and cities)
- World Cities Day (focused on urban development)

Why host? It's a chance to:

- Show how your country is building better, greener cities
- Share what you're doing well that other nations could learn from
- Bring together world leaders and experts to solve city problems together

📅 Deadline to apply: 30 September 2026

To apply, search "World Habitat Day 2027" / "World Cities Day 2027" or visit the link in the comments below.

03/07/2026

📢 Rebuilding Stronger After Cyclone Ditwah

Here is what the Director General of National Building Research Institute - NBRI , Eng. (Dr.) Asiri Karunawardena, had to say about our ongoing collaborative project aimed at promoting resilient infrastructure development and cyclone recovery efforts!

This critical initiative is funded by the Australian High Commission, Sri Lanka supported by UN-Habitat Sri Lanka, IOM Sri Lanka and Maldives , and UNOPS.

By blending risk-assessment advisory with tools and technology and needs based rebuilding plans, we’re helping communities recover safely and sustainably.

25/06/2026

In partnership with KOICA Sri Lanka Office / 코이카 스리랑카 사무소, UN-Habitat Sri Lanka supported vulnerable communities in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts through the project “Strengthening Socioeconomic Resilience of Communities Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka”.

This video highlights the project's key contributions to the sector including upgraded field maternal and child health care centres and improved sewerage facilities and health care waste management facilities in hospitals.