The SEDR project was a European Union-funded initiative implemented by the British Council in partnership with The Asia Foundation to support effective, rights-based alternative dispute resolution at community level in Sri Lanka. From 2020 to 2025, SEDR worked with civil society, government stakeholders, community leaders, and young people across six districts to improve people-centered justice and strengthen social cohesion through alternative dispute resolution initiatives.
About the SEDR Project
Supporting Effective Dispute Resolution (SEDR) was a 5-year dispute resolution project, funded by the European Union to the value of €7 million, and implemented in Sri Lanka by the British Council in partnership with The Asia Foundation. SEDR’s aim was to strengthen dialogue between the people and the state, thereby contributing to the resolution of critical underlying causes of conflict and the prevention of the escalation of local disputes.
Between 2020 and 2025, the project delivered a series of interventions across six districts – Badulla, Monaragala, Ampara, Trincomalee, Mannar and Vavuniya – focusing on strengthening institutional frameworks, enhancing public awareness, and building trust between citizens and justice sector stakeholders in Sri Lanka.
SEDR’s work included building the capacity of Sri Lanka’s National Mediation Programme, the development of community-based alternative dispute resolution, youth engagement initiatives, training for legal professionals, community outreach campaigns, justice sector coordination, and the use of creative arts for dialogue and inclusion.