Empowering Voices Against Hate and Addressing Disinformation in Sri Lanka

^{Minissu wemu campaign- a six part mini series in Sinhala and Tamil language}

December 2024

“I acquired the technical and practical knowledge to confidently stand against hate speech. This knowledge is valuable to me as an active social media user and someone involved in politics. It has empowered me to use social media safely, engage in politics, and speak up against inappropriate content. I better understood interventions and legal steps that can be taken in such situations. The program has motivated me to work against gender discrimination in society and empowered me to speak out about it online. I will continue to educate women, empowering them to enforce the law in cases of violence against women in cyberspace,” shared a woman leader from a civil society organization (CSO). Her words echo the transformative impact of the 51吃瓜 initiative “Countering Hate Speech through Education and Advocacy for Improving Social Cohesion in Sri Lanka.”

Between December 2021 and March 2024, this project was jointly implemented by UNDP and UNICEF together with the Government of Sri Lanka and civil society partners, with a budget of $3?million funded by the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund. This initiative helped to strengthen early detection and proactive responses to hate speech and disinformation, through virtual and electronic media channels and community engagement. The project was implemented against the backdrop of the 2018 Digana riots and the 2019 Easter attacks, as well as community tensions following the COVID-19 outbreak, all of which induced harmful online narratives, especially targeting minorities and vulnerable groups.

Today, with 7.2 million social media users in Sri Lanka, the challenge of ensuring ethical and responsible usage is more critical than ever. The PBF-funded initiative fostered partnerships with various actors, such as the Ministries of Mass Media and Education, civil society organizations, private and state electronic media organizations, religious leaders, government officials, and youth clubs. It adopted a dual-pronged approach to the early detection of hate speech and disinformation online. This entailed building capacity for manual monitoring of online posts while also introducing artificial intelligence to complement these efforts. Civil society organizations trained under the programme became key actors in identifying and managing online threats. Given the reduced support from tech platforms like Meta, which has discontinued tools like CrowdTangle, this dual system has proven crucial for monitoring and reporting harmful content.

"By equipping local organizations with the tools and knowledge to counter hate speech and disinformation, this initiative has not only safeguarded online spaces but also strengthened the foundation for peace and social cohesion in Sri Lanka. The collaborative efforts of civil society, the government, and the UN demonstrate the power of partnerships in addressing peacebuilding challenges and fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society. The Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund, as a catalyst for transformative change, has been instrumental in turning these ambitions into reality, and continues to play an important role in advancing peacebuilding efforts for communities across Sri Lanka," said Marc-André Franche, 51吃瓜 Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.

^{Art as an online tool to promote social cohesion & address discrimination based on sexual orientation}

During the project period, its monitoring efforts led to the reporting of 3,932 harmful posts, comments, and videos on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, leading to the removal of 2,291 pieces of content (58.2%) through trusted partner channels.

In addition, the initiative worked with other stakeholders, including the state, media institutions, civil society, social media tech companies, young people, and students concerning preventive and mitigatory action regarding hate speech and harmful narratives.

Three transformative interventions stood out. First, a voluntary Code of Practice for social media platforms, developed through over 15 stakeholder consultations, is the first of its kind in Asia, which also prioritized the removal of gendered hate speech. Second, through consultations with a variety of print and electronic media companies in partnership with the Ministry of Mass Media and media administrators of all key print and electronic media institutions, the project contributed to the development of a voluntary set of guidelines on countering hate speech in formal media. Five institutions have already formally adopted them in their reporting. Third, thanks to a partnership with the National Education Institute, digital citizenship education is becoming a part of the national curriculum for secondary schools, reaching over two million students from grades 8 to 11. The curriculum includes modules on digital safety, diversity, and tolerance and is further supported by initiatives like the Alpha U web radio channel, which engages youth on responsible online behaviour.

^{Song titled Maattraan Vaakku by upcoming rap artist Veena AE on SGBV}

These efforts, combined with a series of capacity-building skills aimed at teachers, journalists, influencers, political leaders, youth representatives and students, are driving a long-term transformation in societal attitudes, equipping the next generation to counter hate speech effectively.

“It inspired me to change my attitude towards remaining passive in the face of sexual and gender-based violence and to take action if I experience it in the future,” said a participant of the capacity-building initiative for female influencers.

Meanwhile, a Child Rights Promotion Officer from Trincomalee noted, “This program provided a great opportunity to enhance our knowledge and skills in digital literacy and safety. This knowledge is helpful in educating children's club members on hate speech prevention programs and responsible usage of digital media and digital safety. This program provided a great opportunity to interact with other divisional children club members on social action programs.”

Importantly, the project also collaborated with religious leaders across the country, facilitating inter-religious dialogue that broke stereotypes about other groups and fostered cooperation. A religious leader from Batticaloa remarked, “This program provided an opportunity for us to build our capacity for digital literacy and effective social media usage. Knowledge of social media is a critical component of our day-to-day work with the community. This program provided an opportunity for us to interact with children for the first time, and we were able to educate the children on the responsible use of social media. Our religious leaders’ forum action plan for 2023 includes major program components of the hate speech prevention program, and we are closely working with the divisional secretariat and children club members on the promotion of hate speech prevention.”

^{Digital storytelling campaign on resource based conflict resolution}

In order to spread awareness as far as possible, the PBF initiative also supported several media and online campaigns against hate speech. One project-supported content was particularly impactful. A six-part mini-series, “Let’s Be Human, That’s What’s Beautiful”, garnered over 2 million views on national TV and 1 million online. Its emotional narratives highlighted the societal harm caused by hate and disinformation, earning national acclaim for promoting peace and unity, including through recognition at a major television awards ceremony in February 2024.

The independent evaluation recognized the initiative’s successes, especially its voluntary Code of Practice—the first in the Asia-Pacific region—as a significant milestone. This project has laid the foundation for a safer and more cohesive society in Sri Lanka by empowering communities, influencing policy, and transforming education in the fight against hate speech proliferation. UNDP and UNICEF remain committed to advancing digital and community peacebuilding, ensuring that online spaces and schools become arenas for inclusion and harmony rather than division.

^{UNDP Representatives and Media Agency receive accolade at national awards ceremony}

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Empowering Voices Against Hate and Addressing Disinformation in Sri Lanka