In Sri Lanka’s Central Province, where generations of tea estate workers have lived and laboured in quiet resilience, something powerful unfolded. From 27 February to 1 March, iProbono convened its third Access to Justice Program, an initiative that did more than share legal knowledge. It created a space for dignity, solidarity, and long-overdue recognition.
Delivered in partnership with the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the program brought together 16 lawyers from across the province alongside 8 police officers and 4 grassroots activists, individuals who stand on the frontlines of justice but often lack the tools, resources, or support to respond effectively. Over three days, these participants became part of a collective movement committed to ensuring that communities historically pushed to the margins are finally heard.
The sessions were led by a remarkable group of experts: child rights specialist Milani Salpitiokorala, women’s rights expert Jerusha Crosette Thambiah, LGBT+ rights defender Ishara De Silva, and labour rights expert Delan De Silva. Each session moved beyond theory, pairing legal frameworks with practical strategies so participants could confidently support survivors, intervene responsibly, and advocate for justice within their own communities.
What made this program especially powerful was not just the information shared, but the transformation it sparked. In regions where structural inequality has long restricted access to justice, education, healthcare, and safe working conditions, legal awareness can be life-changing. Research across plantation communities shows that when people do not know their rights, abuse and exploitation often go unchallenged, particularly for women and children. By placing knowledge directly into the hands of those most trusted locally, the program shifted that reality from possibility to action.
That impact became visible immediately. On 1 March, participating lawyers held a community legal clinic in Kotagala, Hatton offering free legal advice and assistance related to housing rights, sexual and gender based violence and labour related legal issues to estate workers. For many, it was their first direct interaction with a legal professional, an experience that replaced hesitation with confidence.
This initiative forms part of a wider effort to dismantle barriers that have persisted for generations in plantation communities. It reflects a simple but transformative belief: justice must not be distant, intimidating, or inaccessible, it must be present, practical, and rooted in community trust.
The program was delivered with support from Kaleidoscope Trust and funding from the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, whose partnership made it possible to bring this work directly to the communities that need it most.
