Nishan de Mel

#SriLanka joins the AAPO Regional Con 2026 to discuss Asia's first Parliamentary Openness Index. Hon. Prageeth Maduranga (Open Parliament Caucus @ParliamentLK ) and Tasha Goonewardene (@VeriteResearch/@ManthriLK) will share perspectives on parliamentary transparency and democratic practices. #Parliaments #Openness

Who benefits from economic decisions and who bears the costs? At “Beyond Disclosure: Making Fiscal Governance Work for People in Asia and Pacific” in Bangkok, Verité Research Executive Director Dr @NCdeMel argued that fiscal transparency must go beyond publishing budget decisions. People need the information, independent analysis and public discussion necessary to shape those decisions. He outlined three priorities for democratising budgeting and economic planning: 1. Open up the data behind decisions: Give people access not only to what is in the budget, but also to the underlying fiscal and economic information used to design it. 2. Strengthen independent analysis: Equip civil society and think tanks to assess policy options and their consequences—including effects on poverty and inequality, rather than economic growth alone. 3. Enable genuine public debate: Bring these consequences into public discussion, allowing society to weigh whose interests are served, who bears the costs, and which outcomes it is willing to accept. Dr de Mel proposed assessing the social impacts of policy decisions, including their effects on inequality through a separate social diagnostic. Every policy decision creates winners and losers, and democracy requires a genuinely public conversation to balance these interests. The event was held on 13 October 2026 as part of the Civil Society Policy Forum at the IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok. It was organised by @OpenBudgets, with @VeriteResearch among the co-hosts.

That’s a wrap. The Asia Parliamentary Dialogue 2026: Open Parliaments, Stronger Democracies, convened by @ManthriLK through @VeriteResearch has successfully concluded. Held on Friday, August 28th, across the region via Zoom. This initiative brought together a diverse assembly of parliamentary leaders, civil society advocates, and experts.   The dialogue delved into critical strategies for making legislatures more transparent, inclusive, and accountable. Insightful panels explored topics such as leveraging digital tools for better citizen engagement, strengthening legislative oversight,and fostering regional collaboration to uphold democratic principles. It was a timely and essential conversation.   Thank you to everyone who registered, attended, and contributed to these vital discussions. The journey towards stronger,more open democracies continues!    Watch this space for further updates and key takeaways. #SriLanka #AsiaParliamentaryDialogue

Limited slots available - register now! Join us for the Asia Parliamentary Dialogue 2026, convened by @VeriteResearch via @ManthriLK. Join parliamentarians, parliamentary officials, monitoring organisations, and civil society leaders across Asia. 📅 Date: Friday, 28 August 2026 🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (SLT) | 04:30 AM – 07:30 AM UTC 📍 Platform: Online (Zoom) Scan the QR code on the slides or register via the link below to secure your spot: forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/…

For 65 years, #SriLanka has tried to solve human-elephant conflict by confining elephants inside Protected Areas. 70% of them live outside. In 2024, community-built fences cut elephant deaths by 20% and human deaths by 15%. In 2025, both rose again. by Research Fellow Dr. @KnightMalathy & Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya. Read: dailymirror.lk/opinion/Sri-L…