Lanka sees surge in SGBV cases; DNA lab boosted to aid justice

Rape continues to be the most frequently reported crime in Sri Lanka, with 2,252 cases of sexual harassment and nearly 130,000 instances of domestic violence recorded in 2024 alone—underscoring the urgent need to strengthen forensic DNA capabilities to ensure justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, says a report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka.

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It said: Given the critical role of DNA evidence in sexual violence cases, particularly rape and grave sexual abuse, strengthening the DNA laboratory of the Government Analyst Department (GAD) of Sri Lanka is essential to respond effectively to enable access to a timely and accountable justice process for women, girls and gender minorities affected by SGBV.

Through the ‘Ensuring Justice for Victim/survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Sri Lanka’ project, funded by the Government of Canada, and implemented by the UNDP in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with UNFPA and the Government of Sri Lanka, an internationally recognized expert in DNA analysis will work closely with the GAD over a 4 month period. The expert will assess current systems, infrastructure and technology, and provide recommendations to enhance capacity and effectiveness.

Commenting on the importance of such an intervention, Sandya Rajapaksa, Government Analyst Department, stated, “We are grateful for the support rendered by Dr. Neil Fernandopulle through the UNDP towards implementing short, efficient methods to serology analysis for SGBV cases, where the current workflow is often lengthy. We are also seeking to improve our Standard Operating Procedure to ensure uniformity, and high-quality documentation on sexual assault case processing and enhance Report Writing and results interpretation, specifically for SGBV cases.”