(A) Sri Lanka Chronology
(B) Domestic Legislations
(i) Constitution of Sri Lanka – 1978 E / S / T
(ii) Legislations related Human Rights Purview
| Legislations related to children | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Adoption of Children Ordinances No 38 of 1979 | E | ||
| Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance No 17 of 1951 | E | ||
| Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction Act No 10 of 2001 | E | ||
| Children and Young Persons Ordinances No 48 of 1939 | E | ||
| Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution Act No 30 of 2005 | E | ||
| Education Ordinance No 31 of 1934 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children Act No 47 of 1956 | E | ||
| Geneva Convention Act No 4 of 2006 | E | ||
| Houses of Detention Ordinances No 5 of 1907 | E | ||
| International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No 56 of 2007 | E | ||
| Kandyan Marriage and Divorce Ordinance No 44 of 1952 | E | ||
| Kandyan Marriage and Divorce (Amendments) Act No18 of 1995 | E | ||
| Maintenance Act No 37 of 1999 | E | ||
| Marriage (General) Registration Ordinances No 19 of 1907 | E | ||
| Marriage (General) Registration (Amendments) Act No 18 of 1995 | E | ||
| National Child Right Protection Authority Act No 50 of 1998 | E | ||
| Obscene Publications Ordinance No 4 of 1927 | E | ||
| Offences committed under the influence of liquor Act No 4 of 1979 | E | ||
| Orphanages Ordinances No 22 of 1941 | E | ||
| Penal Code (Amendment) Act No 16 of 2006 | E | ||
| Probation of Offenders Ordinance No 42 of 1944 | E | ||
| Tsunami (Special Provisions) Act No 16 of 2005 | E | ||
| Vagrants Ordinances No 40 of 1841 | E | ||
| Youth Full Offenders (Training Schools) Ordinance No 28 of 1939 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Women | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Adoption of Children Ordinances No 24 of 1941 | E | ||
| Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution Act No 30 of 2005 | E | ||
| Employment of Females in Mines Ordinances No 13 of 1937 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children Act No 47 of 1956 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children Act No 32 of 1984 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children Act No 8 of 2003 | E | ||
| Kandayan Succession Ordinance No 23 of 1951 | E | ||
| Maintenance Act No 37 of 1999 | E | ||
| Marriage and Divorce Kandayan Ordinances No 44 of 1952 | E | ||
| Marriage and Divorce Muslim Ordinances No 13 of 1951 | E | ||
| Marriages (General) Ordinances No 19 of 1907 | E | ||
| Maternity Benefits Ordinances No 32 of 1939 | E | ||
| Penal Code (Amendment ) Act No 29 of 1998 | E | ||
| Penal code (Amendment )Act No 25 of 1995 | E | ||
| Penal Code (Amendment) Act No 16 of 2006 | E | ||
| Prevention of Domestic Violence Act No 34 of 2005 | E | ||
| Shop and Office Employees Ordinances No 19 of 1954 | E | ||
| The Tesawalamai law Ordinances No18 of 1806 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Migrants Workers | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution Act No 30 of 2005 | E | ||
| Foreign Employment Agency Act No 32 of 1980 | E | ||
| Immigrant and Emigrant Act No 20 of 1948 | E | ||
| Immigrants and Emigrant Amendment Act No 42 of 1998 | E | ||
| Immigrants and Emigrant Amendment Act No 31 of 2006 | E | ||
| Immigrants and Emigrants (Amendment) Act No 16 of 1993 | E | ||
| Penal Code (Amendment ) Act No 16 of 2006 | E | ||
| Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Act No 21 of 1985 | E | ||
| Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (Amendment) Act No 4 of 1994 | E | ||
| Vagrants Ordinances No 4 of 1841 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Elders | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Protection of the Rights of Elders Act No 9 of 2000 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Language | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| National Institute of language education and training Act No of 2007 | E | ||
| Official Languages Commission Act No 18 of 1991 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Torture | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act No 22 of 1994 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Civil & Politics | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)Act No 56 of 2007 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Environment | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Agrarian Service Act No 58 of 1979 | E | ||
| Animal Diseases Act No 59 of 1992 | E | ||
| Animals Act No 29 of 1958 | E | ||
| Antiquate Ordinance | E | ||
| Atomic Energy Authority Act No 19 of 1969 | E |
| Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981 | E | ||
| Consumer protection Act No 1 of 1979 | E | ||
| Control of Pesticides (Amendment) Act No. 6 of 1994 | E | ||
| Cosmetics Devices and drugs act No 27 of 1980 | E | ||
| Diseases of animals Ordinance no 25 of1980 | E | ||
| Environment Conservations Levy Act, No. 26 of 2008 | E | ||
| Explosive Ordinance | E | ||
| Factories Act No 543 of 1961 | E | ||
| Fauna and Flora Protection Act | E | ||
| Fauna And Flora Protection Act Fauna And Flora Protection ordinance | E | ||
| Felling of Tress (Control) Act No 9 of 1951 | E | ||
| Fertilizer act no 21 of 1961 | E | ||
| Fisheries And Aquatic Resource Act No 2 of 1996 | E | ||
| Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Act 2006 | E | ||
| Flood Protection Act | E | ||
| Food act No 26 of 1980 | E | ||
| Forests Ordinance No 16 of 1907 | E | ||
| Forests Act | E | ||
| Gaming Ordinance No 17 of 1889 | E | ||
| Imports and Exports control act No 1 of 1969 | E | ||
| Irrigation Ordinance (Cap 453) | E | ||
| Land Acquisition Act No 9 of 1950 | E | ||
| Land Development Ordinance (Cap 464) | E | ||
| Land Reform Law No 1 of 1979 | E | ||
| Land settlement Ordinance (Cap 463) | E | ||
| Mahaweli authority Act no 23 of 1979 | E | ||
| Marine Pollution Prevention Act No 39 of 1981 | E | ||
| Marine Zones Law No 22 of 1976 | E | ||
| Mines and Minerals act No 33 of 1992 | E | ||
| Municipal Councils Ordinance | E | ||
| National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (Amendment) Act No. 23 of 2006 | E | ||
| National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 53 of 2000 | E | ||
| National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 56 of 1988 | E | ||
| National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980 | E | ||
| National Heritage Wilderness Areas Act No 3 of 1988 | E | ||
| National Resources, Energy and Science Authority Act No 78 of 1981 | E | ||
| National Water Supply and Drainage board act No 2 of 1974 | E | ||
| Nuisances Ordinance No 15 of 1962 | E | ||
| Plant Protection Act No 35 of 1999 | E | ||
| Pradeshiya Sabha Act o 15 of 1987 | E | ||
| Soil Conservation Act No 24 of 1996 | E | ||
| Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No 13 of 2005 | E | ||
| State land Ordinance No 8 of 1947 | E | ||
| Tourism Act No 38 of 2005 | E | ||
| Tsunami Act No 16 of 2005 | E | ||
| Water Hyacinth Ordinance No 04 1909 | E | ||
| Water Resources Board (Amendment) Act No42 of 1999 | E | ||
| Wildlife Protection Society Act | E |
| Legislation Related to Social Security | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Social Security Board Act No 17 of 1996 | E | ||
| Social Security Board (Amendment) Act No 33 of 1999 | E | ||
| Widows and Orphans Pension Scheme Ordinance No 13 of 1906 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Identity | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Registration of Persons Act No32 of 1968 | E | ||
| Births and deaths registration Act – chapter 110 | E | ||
| Births And Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act No 37 of 2006 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Election | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Elections (Special Provinces) Act No 14 of 2004 | E | ||
| Local Government Elections (Amendment) Act No 16 of 2007 | E | ||
| Parliament Elections Act No 1 of 1981 | E | ||
| Presidential Elections Act No15 of 1981 | E | ||
| Provincial Councils Elections Act No 2 of 1988 | E | ||
| Referendum Act No 7 of 1981 | E | ||
| Legislations related to Employment | Medium | ||
| S | T | E | |
| Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act No 4 of 2002 | E | ||
| Companies Act No 7 of 2007 | E | ||
| Employee Councils (Amendment) Act No 5 of 1984 | E | ||
| Employees Trust Fund (special Provisions) Act No 19 of 1993 | E | ||
| Employees’ Councils Act No 32 of 1979 | E | ||
| Employees’ Provident Fund Act No15 of 1958 | E | ||
| Employees’ Provident Fund (Amendment) Act No 26 of 1981 | E | ||
| Employees’ Provident Fund (Amendment) Act No 42 of 1988 | E | ||
| Employees’ Provident Fund (Amendment) Act No 01 of 1985 | E | ||
| Employees’ Provident Fund (Special Provisions) Law No 6 of 1975 | E | ||
| Employees’ Trust Fund Act No 46 of 1980 | E | ||
| Employees’ Trust Fund (Amendment) Act No 3 of 1982 | E | ||
| Employees’ Trust Fund (Amendment) Act No47 of 1988 | E | ||
| Employees’ Provident Fund (Amendment) Act No14 of 1992 | E | ||
| Employees’ Trust Fund (Amendment) Act No 18 of 1993 | E | ||
| Employment of Trainees (Private Sector) Act No of 1978 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children Act No 47 of 1956 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children the Factories and the Shop and Office Employees ( Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) (Amendment) Act No 32 of 1984 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children (Amendment ) Act No 8 of 2003 | E | ||
| Employment of Women Young Persons and Children (Amendment) act No 24 of 2006 | E | ||
| Essential Public Services Act No 61 of 1979 | E | ||
| Estate Labour (Indian) Ordinance No 13 of 1889 | E | ||
| Factories Ordinance No 45 of 1942 | E | ||
| Factories (Amendment) Act No18 of 1998 | E | ||
| Factories (Amendment) Act No 33 of 2000 | E | ||
| Factories (Amendment) Act No19 of 2002 | E | ||
| Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act No 21 of 1996 | E | ||
| Industrial Disputes Act No 43 of 1950 | E | ||
| Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act No 32 of 1990 | E | ||
| Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act No 56 of 1999 | E | ||
| Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act No 11 of 2003 | E | ||
| Industrial Disputes (Hearing and Determination of Proceeding) Special Provisions) Act No 13 of 2003 | E | ||
| Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act No 21 of 2008 | E | ||
| Maternity Benefits Ordinance No 32 of 1939 | E | ||
| Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Act No 52 of 1981 | E | ||
| Maternity Benefits(Amendment) Act No 43 of 1985 | E | ||
| Mediation (Special Categories of Disputes) Act No.21 of 2003 | E | ||
| Mines and Minerals Act No 33 of 1992 | E | ||
| National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act No 27 of 2006 | E | ||
| Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration Act No 17of 1981 | E | ||
| Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Amendment) Act No 16of 1991 | E | ||
| Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Amendment) Act No 26 of 1994 | E | ||
| Payment of Gratuity Act No12 of 1983 | E | ||
| Payment of Gratuity Act (Amendment) No 41 of 1983 | E | ||
| Payment of Gratuity Act (Amendment) No 62 of 1992 | E | ||
| Penal Code (Amendment) Act No 22 of 1995 | E | ||
| Penal Code (Amendment) Act No 29 of 1998 | E | ||
| Penal Code (Amendment ) Act No 16 of 2006 | E | ||
| Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act No 28 of 1996 | E | ||
| Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Act No 33 of 2003 | E | ||
| Public Security Ordinance No 25 of 1947 | E | ||
| Relevant Amendments to the Penal Code | E | ||
| Shop and Office Employee (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act, No 19 of 1954 | E | ||
| Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) (Amendment) Act No 53 of 1981 | |||
| Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) and Wages Boards (Amendment) Act No 36 of 1982 | |||
| Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) andWages Boards (Amendment) Act No 36 of 1982 | |||
| Shop and office Employees’ (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) (Amendment) Act No 44 of 1985 | |||
| Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (Amendment) Act No 4 of 1994 | |||
| Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Act No 21 of 1985 | E | ||
| Termination of Employment of Workmen (Special Provisions) (Amendment) Act, No 51 of 1988 | E | ||
| Termination of Employment of Workmen (Special Provisions) Act, No 45 of 1971 | E | ||
| Termination of Employment of Workmen (Special Provisions)(Amendment) Act, No 12 of 2003 | E | ||
| Termination of Employment of Workmen (Special Provisions)(Amendment) Act, No 20 of 2008 | |||
| Trade Union Representatives (Entry into Estates) Act No 25 of 1970 | E | ||
| Trade Unions Ordinance No 14 of 1935 | E | ||
| Wages Boards Ordinance No 27 of 1941 | E | ||
| Wages Boards(Amendment) Act No10 of 1980 | E | ||
| Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Act No 15 of 1990 | E | ||
| Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Act No10 of 2005 | E | ||
| Workmen’s Compensation Ordinance No19 of 1934 | E |
(C) Regulations / Circulars/ Directives/Charter
- Charter of the Child Rights
- Women’s Charter
- Disabled Persons’ (Accessibility) Regulations No. 1, 2006
- Public Administration Circular No.27/88 – Disability People
- Public Administration Circular No.17/2005 – Marking available the corporation of government institutions in the performance of duties vested in the HRCSL
- Ministry of Education Circular No.17/2005 – Protect the discipline in Schools
(D) Landmark FR Judgments by Supreme court of Sri Lanka
| Freedom of Thought Conscience and Religion | ||
| 1. | Premalal Perera Vs Weerasuriya | 1985 3SLR 177 |
| Freedom From Torture | ||
| 1. | Sudath Silva Vs Kodituwakku | 1987 2SLR 119 |
| 2. | A dhikary V Amarasingha | 2003 1SLR 270 |
| 3. | Wijayasiriwardene Vs Kumara | 1989 2SLR 312 |
| 4. | Thadchanamoorthi v Attorney – General | 1978 1SLR 154 |
| 5. | Velmuruya Vs Attorney – General | 1981 1SLR 406 |
| 6. | Mariyadas Raj Vs. Attorney General | 1983 2SLR 397 |
| 7. | Sriyani Silva Vs. Iddamalgoda | 2003 2SLR 63 |
| 8. | Subasinghe Vs Police Constable Sandun | 1999 2SLR 23 |
| 9. | Mrs. W.M.K. De Silva Vs Chairman Ceylon Fertilizer Corporation | 1989 2SLR 393 |
| 30. | Samarakoon and Other Vs University Grants Commission and Others | 2005 1SLR 119 |
| 31. | Farook Vs Dharamaratne, Chairman, Provincial Public Service Commission and Others | 2005 1SLR 133 |
| 33. | Abdul Lathif Vs Deputy Inspector General of Police Nuwara Eliya and Other | 2005 1SLR 22 |
| Freedom of Speech and Expression | ||
| 1. | Victor Ivan Vs Sarath N Silva | 1998 1SLR 340 |
| 2. | Visvalingam Vs Liyanage | 1984 2SLR 123 |
| 3. | Fernando Vs The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation | 1996 1SLR 152 |
| 4. | Deshapriya Vs Muncipal Council, Nuwara Eliya | 1995 1SLR 362 |
| 5. | Mohottige Vs Gunatilleke | 1992 2SLR 246 |
| 6. | Dissanayake Vs Sri Jayawardenapura University | 1986 2SLR 254 |
| 7. | Hewammanne Vs Manik de Silva | 1983 1SLR 1 |
| 8. | Sunila Abeysekera Vs Ariya Rubasinghe | 2000 1SLR 314 |
| 9. | Wickramasinghe Vs Edmund Jayasinghe | 1995 1SLR 300 |
| 10. | M.N.D. Perera Vs Balapatabendi, Secretary of the President and Others | 2005 1SLR 185 |
| Freedom of Assembly | ||
| 1. | Bernard Soysa Vs Attorney General | 1991 2SLR 56 |
| 2. | Atukorale Vs De Silva | 1996 1SLR 280 |
| Freedom of Association | ||
| 1. | Mallikarachchi Vs Shiva Pasuputhi | 1985 1SLR 74 |
| 2. | Ariyapala Gunaratne Vs Peoples Bank | 1986 1SLR 338 |
| Freedom of Occupation | ||
| 1. | Perera Vs Jayawickrema | 1985 1SLR 285 |
| 2. | Abeywardena Vs Inspector General Of Police | 1991 2SLR 349 |
| Freedom of Movement and Residence | ||
| 1. | Thavaneethan Vs Dayananda Dissanayake | 2003 1SLR 74 |
(E) Landmark HRCSL Recommendations
(F) Status of International Human Rights Instruments in Sri Lanka
(G) Reporting Status of Treaty Bodies in Sri Lanka
(H) Concluding Observations by the Committees of Treaty Bodies
| Committee | Date | Report |
| Committee on Migrant Workers | 14.12.2009 | CMW/C/LKA/CO/1 |
| Committee against Torture | 15.12.200515.05.1998 | CAT/C/LKA/CO/2 A/53/44(SUPP) |
| Human Rights Committee | 01.12.200327.07.1995 | CCPR/CO/79/LKA CCPR/C/79/Add.56 |
| Committee on the Rights of the Child | 02.07.200321.06.1995 | CRC/C/15/Add.207 CRC/C/15/Add.40 |
| Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women | 01.02.200228.01.1998 | A/57/38(SUPP) A/47/38(SUPP) |
| Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | 14.09.200122.09.1995 | A/56/18(SUPP) A/50/18(SUPP) |
| Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights | 16.06.1998 | E/C.12/1/Add.24 |
(I) Reports under UN Special Procedures
(J) Institutions
(i) Statuary Boards
- Public Service Commission
- Official Languages Commission
- Legal aid Commission of Sri Lanka
- Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption
- National Police Commission
- Law Commission of Sri Lanka
- National Education Commission
- Mediation Boards Commission
- National child Protection Authority
- Marine Pollution Prevention Authority
- Consumer Affairs Authority
- Central Environmental Authority
- Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment)
- Children and Women Bureau
- Women’s Bureau of Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Social Security Board
- National Intellectual Property Office of Sri Lanka
- National Institute of Education
- Employees Trust Fund
- National institute of mental and health
- National Council for Persons with Disabilities
- National Committee on Women
- Children Secretariat
(ii) Departments
- Department of Labour
- Department of Police
- Department of Probation and Child Care Services
- Registrar General Departments
- Department of Social Services
- Coastal Conservation Department
- Department of Cultural Affairs
- Department of Elections
- Department of Forest Conservation
- Department of Health Service
- Department of Immigration and Emigration
- Department of Law Commission
- Department of Legal Draftsman
- Department of Registration of Persons
- Department of Wildlife Conservation
(K) Courts or Tribunals
- High Court
- Provincial High Court
- Court of Appeal
- Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
- Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
- Ombudsman
- Labour Tribunal