The Civil Society Platform (CSP), founded by NPC in collaboration with other civil society organizations, will conduct a campaign to prevent the 19th Amendment of the Constitution from being abolished, it was decided at a meeting to prepare the CSP’s strategic plan.
The members of the platform will create awareness about the importance of protecting the 19th Amendment. Representatives of the CSP will meet political leaders to lobby for their support for the campaign.
The inaugural meeting of the CSP was held in October last year, where the topics discussed included civil society and global trends, women's role in civil society, issues faced by the hill country plantation population, the media's role and civil society organizations.
Among the panelists at the second meeting were Mr. Brito Fernando, NPC Executive Director Dr. Jehan Perera, PAFFREL Head Rohana Hettiarachchi and lawyer Namal Rajapaksha.
The participants were divided into groups where they discussed the challenges that the CSP would have to face and the opportunities they would have to seize to strengthen the platform. The groups analysed the threats they would encounter and the specific areas that they would need to focus on.
The meeting also finalised criteria for membership including being a civil society organization, not working for a politician or political party and working for disadvantaged people and minority rights.
The forum will develop a common mandate that all civil society organizations could follow in order to strengthen their role in the country's peace and reconciliation process.