Tracking change in livelihoods, service delivery and governance: Evidence from a 2012-2015 panel survey in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This working paper draws on a panel survey conducted in Sri Lanka in 2012 and 2015 that collected longitudinal data on the socioeconomic changes amongst communities resettled after the war and their perceptions of local and central government. Key findings include: Food insecurity worsened for many households On average, asset ownership increased Access to services – which were not always available to internally displaced people during the civil war – has improved overall, as has satisfaction with services While access to health services appears to be associated with people’s perceptions about central government, access to other services (such as water, education, social protection and livelihood assistance) do not seem to play a similar role. Overall, while the survey results offer a positive picture of recovery in general, the data strongly depicts an unevenness along ethnic, spatial, and gender dimensions. This research was funded under the Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC) programme