Gendered and Ethnic Climate Security Risks in Sri Lanka: Concrete Realities and Politically Smart Solutions

Tamil-speaking women and men face systemic barriers accessing government services, adaptation schemes, and disaster relief, as most official documents are in Sinhalese or English. Low literacy rates among plantation communities further compound this, leaving many unable to access microfinance, legal aid, or government compensation after climate disasters. 

2. Gendered health risks intensified by climate change

Women in minority and plantation communities face unique health risks as climate change increases water-borne diseases, heat stress, and malnutrition. The lack of safe, private facilities in shelters deters women from seeking help during disasters. For girls, inadequate menstrual hygiene access leads to school absenteeism. 

3. Educational risks: gendered and ethnic gaps

Climate shocks disrupt schooling, with boys and girls in poor and minority households at heightened risk of dropping out. Girls face early marriage and confinement to low-paid work; boys, particularly from Tamil and Muslim backgrounds, face pressure to migrate for unskilled labour, increasing their likelihood of falling into criminality and substance abuse. 

4. Livelihood risks: gendered and ethnic dimensions

Erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and land disputes are shrinking agricultural opportunities. Plantation Tamil women endure low wages and little job security; Tamil men are compelled to migrate for low-wage work in unsafe conditions. Across communities, minority women's contributions are rarely recognised in formal systems, restricting access to credit, land, and decision-making. 

5. Unaddressed disparities threaten reconciliation and peace

If livelihood and educational disparities remain unaddressed, the next generation of Tamil, Muslim, and plantation youth may grow up with limited prospects and a sense of abandonment, heightening the risk of renewed ethnic tensions and undermining peacebuilding.

Recommendations: 

Promote inclusive and gender-responsive governance

Pilot multi-ethnic, gender-balanced resource committees in climate-vulnerable districts. Ensure all climate and disaster response documents are available in Tamil and simple Sinhala/English. Frame actions as "innovation hubs for resilience," not exclusively as minority or women's initiatives. 

Bridge language, literacy, and gender gaps

Use radio, WhatsApp, and SMS in local languages to reach women with disaster alerts and health guidance. Develop pictorial and audio-visual guides for official processes. Prioritise outreach to female-headed households and women in plantation and conflict-affected districts. 

Strengthen gendered health and education responses

Integrate reproductive, maternal, and mental health services into existing mobile clinics. Provide school meals, menstrual hygiene kits, and safe spaces to keep girls in school during climate shocks. Incentivise attendance for both girls and boys through community-based, in-kind support. 

Address gendered livelihood risks and debt traps

Focus on transparency and complaint mechanisms in microfinance. Pilot climate-resilient livelihood programmes for women and female-headed households. Encourage formal recognition of women's agricultural contributions through joint land titles and women's cooperatives. 

Foster politically savvy, gender-inclusive coalition-building

Promote reforms as investments in good governance and resilience that benefit all Sri Lankans. Pilot projects in mixed districts to demonstrate mutual benefit. Share positive stories of inter-ethnic and gender-inclusive cooperation widely.