Sri Lanka

In addition to combatting digital threats in Sri Lanka, The Carter Center partners with the city of Colombo as part of its groundbreaking Inform Women, Transform Lives campaign.

Impact

Developed open-source tools and AI models that detect digital threats in real time with partners at Georgia Tech
Awarded the Carter-Menil Human Rights Prize of $100,000 to the Civil Rights Movement of Sri Lanka in 1990

Carter Center Mourns the Passing of Human Rights Program Founder Thomas Buergenthal

Press Release
Jun. 5, 2023

City Spotlight Colombo

Report
Sep. 2, 2021

Carter Center Launches Inform Women, Transform Lives Global Campaign

Press Release
Mar. 5, 2021

Active

Empowerment through Information

Through its groundbreaking Inform Women, Transform Lives campaign, The Carter Center partners with city leaders worldwide to raise awareness about women’s right to access information and to help cities reach women with valuable information and essential municipal services.

Access to this information empowers women with a stronger voice, enabling them to participate in public life, utilize public services, and make more informed decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities. In Sri Lanka, the project has partnered with the city of Colombo.

Active

Democracy

Democracy’s battle now plays out online. The Carter Center’s Digital Threats Initiative protects electoral integrity by monitoring disinformation, hate speech, coordinated manipulation, and dark advertising that can suppress voting, undermine trust, or incite violence.

With Georgia Tech, we’ve developed open-source tools and AI models that detect threats in real time. We share this technology with local partners worldwide, enabling sustainable, community-led responses.

Our current priorities include developing methods to combat online gender-based violence against women running for office and mapping the money behind political advertising to guide transparency reforms. Through tech innovation and local empowerment, we help democratic discourse thrive online — free from manipulation, intimidation, and violence.

Legacy

Peacebuilding

How It Started

The Carter-Menil Human Rights Foundation was created in 1986 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and French-American philanthropist Dominique de Menil to promote the protection of human rights worldwide.

Our Work and Methods

In 1990, the $100,000 Carter-Menil Human Rights Prize went to the Civil Rights Movement of Sri Lanka, a nonpartisan, interethnic organization promoting and protecting civil and political rights.

The award recognized the CRM’s outstanding efforts on behalf of human rights, often at great risk and sacrifice.
“The citizens of Sri Lanka have for decades borne the brunt of grave violations of their rights and dignity with insufficient attention or assistance from the rest of the world,” President Carter noted. “The growth of the CRM illustrates once again the importance of individuals of conscience and commitment coming together when government no longer feels obligated to respect the rule of law.”

Impacts