• Dep. Health Min. notes issues in maintaining minimum standards such as separate toilets/bathing areas 
• Child Protection and Child Rights Promo Officers, Provincial Probation Officers, and Security Forces officers visiting temp. shelters daily, outsiders’ movements being monitored 
• Women and Child Affairs Min. issues instructions to shelter mgrs. on separate areas for women, child-friendly environment 

In an attempt to address the concerns raised about overcrowding, the lack of privacy and safety related concerns of females in evacuation centres established following the cyclone Ditwah and associated disasters, the authorities are moving from large, crowded shelters to temporary, family-based housing units, said the Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Dr. Wijemuni stated that evacuation centres are no longer overcrowded, especially in the Kandy District, as many of the displaced people have either returned to their homes or moved in with their relatives. He also added that some have also opted towards rent accommodations, with the rent allocation of Rs. 25,000 that the Government will be providing. 

“We are trying our best to maintain the minimum standards such as separate toilets and bathing areas for women and children, but we are being met with a lot of problems,” he acknowledged. He also stated that some centres are bearing around 20-30 families in one single hall, making it challenging to meet privacy concerns. 

According to Dr. Wijemuni, as an intermediate solution, the Government is planning to establish these temporary houses that will be acting as camps monitored by the officials, where families will be placed as separate household units. Discussions are currently underway with humanitarian organisations to support the implementation of these camps. He further explained that “the temporary shelters will partially address the privacy concerns of women and children, though it may not be a complete solution.” Also, these units are expected to be operable by the end of the next week. 

He emphasised these camps are not permanent residencies, and will remain in place only for the time period of a few weeks to few months, until permanent housing solutions are finalised by the Government. 

Meanwhile, when queried as to whether there had been any reported cases of assault, harassment, or violence inside evacuation centres, he said that he had not personally received any such complaints and that no official cases had been reported so far, although he acknowledged that there could have been unreported or unofficial incidents.

Elsewhere, the Women and Child Affairs Ministry said that it has taken all possible steps to ensure the safety and well-being of women and children living in temporary shelters established in the aftermath of Ditwah.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Ministry’s Media Secretary Thilini Gunawardena said that Child Protection and Child Rights Promotion Officers, Provincial Probation Officers, and officers from the Security Forces are visiting the shelters on a daily basis. She said that these teams are maintaining security at the sites and monitoring the movement of outsiders to prevent potential risks.

The Ministry has also issued instructions to those managing the shelters to address the specific needs of women and children. She said that all shelters have been instructed to maintain separate areas for women and to ensure a safe, child-friendly environment for children. “These instructions have been communicated to every location where displaced families are being accommodated, and we are continuing to follow up to ensure that they are properly implemented,” she added.

Sri Lanka has experienced a series of natural disasters in recent weeks due to Ditwah, which brought heavy rainfall, strong winds, and widespread flooding to several parts of the country. The severe weather triggered floods and landslides, causing extensive damage to homes, public infrastructure, and livelihoods. Ditwah that brought devastating floods, landslides and other infrastructure damage to Sri Lanka, struck on 28 November, affecting all 25 Districts. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced in evacuation centres with limited resources and facilities, raising considerable privacy concerns, especially for women and children. As a result, thousands of families were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in temporary shelters. Many remain in these centres as their houses have been damaged or are deemed unsafe due to flooding and landslides linked to the cyclone, with assessments and recovery efforts still ongoing in several affected Districts. Discussions for both temporary and permanent housing are ongoing, and the authorities are working on land acquisitions to build permanent houses for those who cannot afford to rebuild their lost homes.