Sri Lanka

UNDP sponsored a three-year project, conducted in conjunction with Boston University School of Law.  The project focused on decentralization of government, implementing a 1987 Constitutional amendment for greater powers to local provinces. 

Participants included Ministry of Justice drafters and ministry staff. Thirteen people participated in the four-month Residence Program, including nine educators from provinces, three central Ministry of Justice drafters, and the deputy director of Sri Lankan Institute for Development Administration (SLIDA).

Civil unrest disrupted the continuation of the project after 1999. Continued political problems have hindered further national level workshops for Parliament members and staff.

However, the entire Ministry of Justice drafting staff members now use ICLAD’s legislative problem-solving theory and methodology. The provincial educators who participated in the Residence Program institutionalized training in the provinces to strengthen drafting of regulations on local issues to facilitate the on-going decentralization process. In addition, in cooperation with SLIDA, they took steps to equip provincial administrators with theory, methodology and techniques to draft bills for provincial legislation. The Deputy Director of SLIDA has organized two-week courses as part of SLIDA’s curriculum to acquaint all national administrators with the theory, methodology and techniques of drafting.

A one-day session provides interested MPs with an explanation of legislative problem-solving theory and methodology. Training continues as part of SLIDA.

Nalin Abeysekere (former head of Sri Lanka's Central Drafting Office, now retired) co-authored the Manual for Drafters with ICLAD founders Ann Seidman and Bob Seidman.

SLIDA has developed training materials for all its drafters based on ICLAD’s legislative problem-solving theory and methodology. All legislative drafting training includes these materials. 

Bills drafted:
Child Labor
Healthcare/Health Systems
Insurance
Intellectual Property Rights
Land Reform
Securities Market
Transportation Systems/Services