CEO Helani Galpaya was one of the participants at the Asia regional consultation on the UN Global Digital Compact (GDC). The GDC is part of what was laid out by the UN Secretary General in his Our Common Agenda Report, and is aimed at creating an open, free, inclusive and secure internet. The Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Amandeep ...
Helani Galpaya took part in a panel held (hybrid) at the 67th UN Commission on the Status of Women on 18 March 2023, which this year was focused on Digital Technology. The panel was titled Innovation for Women and Equality. It was convened by Amina Mohammed (UN Deputy Secretary General). The other panellists were Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi (Executive Director, Women Advocate ...
In our blogpost with Citra Social Innovation Lab, we explore the role digital and data can play in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of social safety nets (social assistance) in Sri Lanka. The benefits of delivery of benefits via bank accounts are clear and the government has indicated it will move towards this system. This is a step in the ...
At a recent event organized by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, LIRNEasia’s chair Professor Rohan Samarajiva laid out examples of ways to address Sri Lanka’s twin deficits in the path to collectively rise out of the current crisis. The slides used can be accessed here. The post How can we rise together? – Addressing Sri Lanka’s twin deficits appeared ...
Solutions for twin deficits LIRNEasia’s fate depends on Sri Lanka’s fate. If the country does not manage to get out of the crisis, it is unlikely that LIRNEasia can prosper. The causes of the crisis are the perennial twin deficits, aggravated and tipped over the edge by bad policy in 2019-22. Here I lay out what needs to be done ...
LIRNEasia’s comments on the proposed new regulations on integrated financial consumer protection framework seek to promote financial inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWD). These comments are based on insights derived from multiple quantitative and qualitative research projects on PWD by LIRNEasia. Below are some of key research findings. There are 570,007 PWD in the country, which is 4% of the population ...
LIRNEasia is currently looking to fill the role of a Statistician and Research Manager. The full job description is available here. The deadline for applying is 28th February 2023. The post LIRNEasia is hiring: Statistician and Research Manager appeared first on LIRNEasia.
Many forms of online harm are perceived, and remedies are sought from platform providers and from the state. The harms range from online bullying and intellectual property violations to incitement to, or facilitation of, violence. Because platforms enable extremely rapid and articulated dissemination of user-generated content (UGC), remedies obtained through court orders or administrative actions fail to be fully ...
LIRNEasia is currently looking to fill the role of a Junior Researcher/Researcher. The full job description is available here. The deadline for applying is 17th February 2023. The post LIRNEasia is hiring: Junior Researcher/ Researcher appeared first on LIRNEasia.
LIRNEasia is currently looking to fill the role of a Policy and Legal Researcher. The full job description is available here. The deadline for applying is 15th February 2023. The post LIRNEasia is hiring: Policy and Legal Researcher appeared first on LIRNEasia.
LIRNEasia’s chair Professor Rohan Samarajiva was invited to speak at the seminar ‘Power crisis and electricity tariffs’, organized by the Organization of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA), on the 11th of January 2023. His presentation was based on the role of the regulator in reforming the electricity sector, and broached upon related considerations when regulating the imposition of tariffs within ...
LIRNEasia is currently looking to fill the role of a Statistician and Researcher. The full job description is available here. The deadline for applying is 25th January 2023. The post LIRNEasia is hiring: Statistician and Researcher appeared first on LIRNEasia.
In his publication ‘International in scope and interdisciplinary in approach’, LIRNEasia’s chair Rohan Samarajiva addresses new media’s impact on societies bound by it and the policy implications that emerge as a product of the same within the three spheres of data protection, data localization and cybersecurity. He highlights the continuous need for interdisciplinary research and reflection on social implications of ...
Dr Surangika Ranathunga and Dr Nisansa de Silva from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Moratuwa recently became recipients of Google’s Inclusion Research award, 2022. Dr. Nisansa de Silva is affiliated with LIRNEasia as a Research Fellow. Google’s Inclusion Research Program is targeted towards academic research in computing and technology that globally addresses the needs of historically ...
Today, I delivered the keynote at the 9th International Conference on multidisciplinary approaches at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Here is on story that I told. In 2008, Nokia, then a leading global telecom equipment supplier, came to LIRNEasia with a question they wanted answered: How was it that countries in South Asia, not known for the highest standards of ...
We are saddened to hear that Nirmani Liyanage passed away suddenly over the weekend. She was junior researcher at LIRNEasia for a brief time before leaving for her post-graduate studies to study what she was passionate about. We quote here what LIRNEasia alumnus Sriganesh Lokanathan wrote in his Facebook yesterday when he heard about her passing: “Sad to hear of ...
This report is to evaluate the impact of interventions (written comments on the draft bill during the stakeholder consultation) by LIRNEasia on the Personal Data Protection Act, No. 9 of 2022, which was passed by the Parliament of Sri Lanka on 9th of March 2022. The report also provides details of media coverage of LIRNEasia interventions on the Act. The post ...
(Note: This was originally published in the Daily FT) The Director General of the Department of Samurdhi released a circular on 29 August stating that monthly cash transfers to senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and kidney patients must be administered through Samurdhi banks from September 2022. In practice, this will occur from October. This disbursement mechanism deviates significantly from ...
By Ayesha Zainudeen & Anha Adhlee (LIRNEasia) South Asia has some of the lowest female labor force participation (LFP) rates in the world, second only to the Middle East. Employment flexibility, also known as workplace flexibility, flexi-work, among other terms, has long been argued as an enabler of women’s increased and sustained participation in the labor market. The technological advancements ...
