he Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, in collaboration with the Department of Social Services of the Northern Province, is actively implementing a landmark project titled “Developing a Social Welfare Policy for the Northern Province.” This timely initiative is generously funded by The Asia Foundation.
Main Objective:
The primary goal of this project is to formulate a sustainable, realistic, and actionable social welfare policy tailored to uplift and enhance the quality of life of marginalized and vulnerable communities in the region.
Key Target Groups:
The proposed policy focuses on addressing the unique challenges faced by the following vulnerable populations:
Elderly People
Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Female-Headed Households
Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)
Economically Vulnerable Individuals and Families
Individuals Requiring Rehabilitation (Substance Abuse)
Current Progress:
Marking a significant milestone, the project has successfully completed its first phase: the District-Level Stakeholder Consultation Meetings across all five districts of the Northern Province. These consultations gathered vital grassroots-level insights regarding existing gaps in the current welfare framework.
Next Steps:
Moving forward, the project team will conduct Key Informant Interviews (KII) with administrative heads and experts from relevant government and non-governmental departments.
The primary data synthesized from both the district consultations and the KIIs will be compiled into a comprehensive research report. This evidence-based report will serve as the foundation for designing the First Draft of the Social Welfare Policy (Policy Draft 1) for the Northern Province.
