• ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ and ‘Healing Sri Lanka’ highlighted at global forum

Sri Lanka’s post-disaster recovery initiatives, ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ and ‘Healing Sri Lanka’, launched by the Government to restore the lives of people affected by the recent natural disasters caused by Cyclone Ditwah, have been praised by state leaders at the Global Caregiver Forum 2026 held in Madrid, Spain.

Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, who attended the forum, said the two initiatives reflected the Government’s commitment to restoring normalcy while prioritising the psychosocial well-being of affected families.

“Sri Lanka recently experienced the most significant natural disaster in our recent history. The Government works to restore normalcy for affected families through ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’, and the Women and Child Affairs Ministry has launched a parallel initiative, ‘Healing Sri Lanka’,” she added.

She said the programme focuses on strengthening psychosocial support through collaboration among relevant stakeholders, with special emphasis on supporting parents and caregivers so that children receive quality care, protection, and nurturing as a national priority.

The Minister also participated as a panelist in the final plenary session titled “Looking Forward and Next Steps”, alongside Vice Minister of Health of Kazakhstan Aliya Rustemova and several others. During the session, Sri Lanka’s ongoing programmes on early childhood development were outlined, including the ‘Step-Up’ communication programme for child health, plans to introduce a unified preschool curriculum nationwide by 2027, the National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Action Plan for Early Childhood Care and Development 2025–2029, and a five-year programme to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism.