Sri Lanka’s National Social Protection Policy promises dignity, security, and opportunity for every citizen. Yet for many, social protection remains a distant or misunderstood concept, narrowly associated with cash transfers rather than recognised as a fundamental right.

Colombo Urban Lab, as part of our work on social protection and urban infrastructures of care, developed this workshop guide to bridge that gap. Tailored for working mothers from urban working-class communities in Colombo, it can be adapted for any other profiles and sectors.

The guide uses human-centred design (HCD), a methodology tha vvt puts participants’ lived experiences at the heart of the process. Designed as a practical, two-hour workshop template, the guide introduces social protection as a right and supports communities to connect policy frameworks to their lived realities. 

This guide is intended for practitioners, researchers, community organisers, and policymakers who are committed to deepening public understanding of social protection and embedding citizen voice in policy conversations.

See the guide here.