A collaborative initiative by Verité Research and the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL), with the support of UNICEF Sri Lanka

The two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme under the project “Awareness Raising and Capacity Building of Civil Society Organisations and Children on the Importance of Monitoring Social Sector Budgets” was successfully conducted on 2 and 3 November 2026 at Verité Research.

Commissioned by UNICEF Sri Lanka, the initiative is implemented by Verité Research, as the technical lead and prime contractor, in partnership with the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL).

The ToT brought together 18 participants representing all nine provinces of Sri Lanka, preparing them to facilitate awareness-raising and capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations (CSOs) and children across the country. The training was conducted in both Sinhala and Tamil, ensuring accessibility and effective knowledge-sharing among participants.

The sessions were facilitated by Ms. Subhashini Abeysinghe, Research Director at Verité Research, and Mr. Raj Prabu Rajakulendran, who guided participants through the key concepts and practical approaches to understanding public budgets, monitoring social sector expenditure and promoting evidence-based advocacy. Ms. Dharshani Premaratne, Social Policy Officer at UNICEF Sri Lanka, also joined the programme.

The initiative seeks to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of civil society organisations and children aged 14–17 to understand public finance processes, monitor government expenditure on social sectors and participate meaningfully in budget-related planning, accountability and advocacy processes, particularly in relation to children’s rights and wellbeing.

Following the ToT, the trained facilitators will support the delivery of provincial learning programmes targeting at least 100 CSO representatives and 100 children across the nine provinces. Through practical learning activities, participants will explore the importance of public budgets for children, budget processes, monitoring social expenditure and service delivery, and using evidence to engage in public decision-making and advocacy.

As the provincial implementation partner, SIHL will coordinate outreach, participant mobilisation, logistics and programme delivery, working closely with Verité Research and UNICEF Sri Lanka to ensure the effective implementation of the initiative.

This collaborative effort represents an important step towards strengthening informed civic participation, promoting public accountability and ensuring that children’s needs and priorities receive greater attention in public resource allocation and social sector investments.

Special thanks to Verite team and Asanka Milroy, SIHL for the successful achievement.