https://archive.veriteresearch.org/handle/456/6747 2026-07-12T00:03:19Z 2026-07-12T00:03:19Z Peiris, Mahoshadi Media Team, Verité Research https://archive.veriteresearch.org/handle/456/8265 2026-06-30T21:31:04Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

A Handbook for Professional Journalism: Reporting on Women, Girl-children, and LGBTQIA+ individuals in Sri Lanka Peiris, Mahoshadi; Media Team, Verité Research This handbook exists to support journalists in recognising recurring patterns in coverage and strengthening professional judgment, so reporting is accurate, fair, and respectful of the people whose lives appear in the news. It focuses on two identity groups that are repeatedly affected by the way they are covered in Sri Lankan media: women and girl-children, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. The handbook is grounded in the pressures media professionals face and provides practical tools to help uphold standards consistently and minimise avoidable harm, even under tight deadlines. The recommendations in this handbook were reached through four areas of work. First, by identifying patterns of unethical reporting in Sri Lankan media through Verité Media and Politics’ Ethics Eye platform. Second, by reviewing principles of Sri Lankan media ethics standards. Third, by drawing on good practices from international standards. Fourth, by understanding the perspectives of Sri Lankan media professionals through discussions with them. The research team comprised of Deshitha Kadiragonna, Chrishari De Alwis, Sajini Wickramasinghe, and Theruni Ranatunga. The handbook was authored by Mahoshadi Peiris and originally written in English. Editorial guidance was provided by Deepanjalie Abeywardana and Dr. Nishan de Mel. The Sinhala translation, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ කාන්තාවන්, ගැහැණු දරුවන් සහ LQBTQIA+ පුද්ගලයින් පිළිබඳ වාර්තාකරණය: වෘත්තීමය මාධ්‍යකරණය සඳහා අත්පොතක් (translated by Rathika Fernando and Deepanjalie Abeywardana), and the Tamil translation, தொழில்முறை ஊடகவியலுக்கான ஒரு கையேடு: இலங்கையில் பெண்கள், பெண் குழந்தைகள் மற்றும் LGBTQIA+ நபர்கள் குறித்து அறிக்கையிடல் (translated by Edward Uthayathas and Rochel Canagasabey), are also available here. Additionally, all three versions can be accessed from the the links below.

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z Cruse, Jonathan Media Team, Verité Research https://archive.veriteresearch.org/handle/456/6788 2024-06-17T21:30:31Z 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z

Trend Analysis of Violence Against Christians in Sri Lanka: November 2022 - October 2023 Cruse, Jonathan; Media Team, Verité Research This study examines critical trends in religiously motivated violence against Christians between November 2022 and October 2023, based on data collated by the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL). The study unpacks three empirical insights into factors that lead to violence against Christians. These insights are data-driven explanations of who the primary perpetrators are, their main targets, and the modality through which they incite violence against Christians. The study also provides insight into harmful speech content against prominent religions in Sri Lanka found on online platforms. 59p. This study was compiled by Verité Media, a division of Verité Research. Jonathan Cruse was the lead researcher and author of the study.

2024-06-01T00:00:00Z Nicolle, Stephanie Media Team, Verité Research https://archive.veriteresearch.org/handle/456/6782 2024-06-15T05:54:16Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Prejudice and Patronage: An Analysis of Incidents of Violence against Christians, Muslims, Hindus in Sri Lanka (September 2019 – September 2020) Nicolle, Stephanie; Media Team, Verité Research This study offers insights in key trends and drivers of religious violence from September 2019 to September 2020. A total of 63 incidents of violence against Christians as well as episodes of discrimination against Muslims and Hindus and analysed. The study also provides a new method of classifying incidents of anti-Christian violence that allow for (i) an analysis of the severity of violence in relation to the perpetrator’s authority level and (ii) an analysis of the nature of police action in relation to the violence severity. Overall, the findings of the study suggest a concerning pattern of state prejudice against minority faith groups and state protection of officials who restrict the religious beliefs of minorities. 37p. The study is based on data collected by the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL). This study was compiled by the Media Team of Verité Research. Stephanie Nicolle was the lead researcher and author of the study.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Nicolle, Stephanie Media Team, Verité Research https://archive.veriteresearch.org/handle/456/6781 2024-06-15T05:56:19Z 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Patterns and Risks of Religious Violence Against Christians (October 2020 – October 2021) Nicolle, Stephanie; Media Team, Verité Research Ethno-religious violence has persisted in post-war Sri Lanka irrespective of changes to the country’s political leadership. The current study unpacks the macro-level and micro-level patterns of religious violence against Christians. For this purpose, Verité Research analysed incidents of religious violence that were recorded by the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka. The analysis of macro-level patterns offers insights into religious violence against Christians from January 2010 to October 2021. The findings of this analysis suggest a pattern of increasing momentum pertaining to the number of religiously motivated incidents against Christians. However, COVID-19 and national elections appear to disrupt this pattern of increasing momentum. The analysis of micro-level trends offers insights into 72 incidents of violence against Christians from October 2020 to October 2021. This analysis revealed that state officials, including the police, were responsible for most incidents of violence. The findings of this analysis suggest a worrying trend regarding the state’s negative bias towards permitting Christians to function in an environment free of violence. 39p. This study was compiled by Media Team of Verité Research. Stephanie Nicolle was the lead researcher and author of the study. Rochel Canagasabey facilitated and managed the study.

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