“Poverty not just lack of money, but lack of opportunity, agency and dignity”
Executive Director of the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne said that poverty is not just a lack of money, it is a lack of opportunity, a lack of agency and a lack of dignity.
He made these remarks while addressing the International Conference on “Poverty and Development in Times of Crisis” in Colombo yesterday (08), organized by CEPA which marked its 25th anniversary, bringing together policymakers, researchers, development partners and academics to examine strategies for protecting vulnerable communities amid growing global and domestic crises.
The two-day conference, organised in collaboration with the “Asian Development Bank (ADB) and ODI Global, focused on building resilience and advancing inclusive development in the face of economic instability, climate change, geopolitical tensions and social vulnerabilities. Addressing the gathering, reflected on CEPA’s 25-year journey as a leading independent think tank dedicated to poverty and development issues in Sri Lanka Prof. Abeyratne noted that Sri Lanka’s progress in poverty reduction had suffered setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s recent economic crisis, highlighting the urgent need to focus on sustainable recovery, resilience, equity and inclusion.
“Poverty is not just a lack of money. It is a lack of opportunity, a lack of agency, and a lack of dignity. The next phase of CEPA’s work will require learning not only from Sri Lanka’s own experience, but also from regional and global lessons,” he added.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Chandranath Amarasekara stressed the importance of macroeconomic stability and evidence-based policymaking in protecting vulnerable communities during times of crisis. Drawing lessons from Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic collapse, Dr. Amarasekara warned that crises often emerge when multiple vulnerabilities converge.
“Policy space must be built before a crisis” he said, while underscoring the importance of high-quality poverty data and policy-relevant research. Meanwhile, Shannon Cowlin of ADB said Sri Lanka’s repeated shocks including the tsunami, Easter Sunday attacks, COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, had exposed deep structural vulnerabilities and reversed hard-earned development gains.
She stressed the need for stronger social protection systems, better coordination, and resilient development policies capable of safeguarding women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities. The conference featured plenary discussions and 18 thematic tracks covering economic reforms, trade liberalisation, climate resilience, governance, food security, educational inequality, artificial intelligence, digital inclusion, employment and social protection. A key plenary session examined the “Challenges of Trade and Economic Reforms for Growth in Developing Countries in an Uncertain Global Era,” while another focused on inequality and poverty reduction strategies in Sri Lanka.
The conference concluded with calls for stronger collaboration between policymakers, researchers and development partners to ensure that future economic recovery efforts remain inclusive and resilient.
Source : Daily News
