Human Security Collective, co-chair of the Global NPO Coalition on FATF, participated in a two-day workshop in Sri Lanka on “Civil Society Regulation and Oversight: Understanding the Security Drivers,” alongside NPO partners from across the country. The event was organized in partnership with Community World Service Asia and Diakonia, and co-facilitated with Ambika Satkunathan from the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust.

As Sri Lanka prepares for its upcoming FATF Mutual Evaluation, civil society voices concern over the government’s limited engagement, especially amid acute challenges faced by NPOs in accessing financial services. Workshop participants highlighted that the official NPO Risk Assessment findings are overly broad and lack proportionality. Proposed amendments to the NPO Law (Voluntary Social Services Act) also raised concerns for failing to align with constitutional and international human rights standards.

During the workshop, participants developed a roadmap for advocacy and engagement leading up to and beyond the FATF Asia Pacific Group onsite visit. A delegation also met with the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank and the Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit for open discussions, during which government officials committed to including NPOs more meaningfully in the process going forward.