In this light, and as a follow up to the survey and the MVI analysis, 25 District Profiles were launched to provide deeper insights and allow for the identification of the key drivers of multidimensional vulnerabilities in different areas of the country. This targeted approach enhances our interventions' effectiveness and ensures resources are allocated where they can have the greatest impact. This can be useful to inform our planning and budgeting processes and should also provide an evidence base for the development of provincial development and investment plans. 

For instance, the MVI analysis suggests that nationally, the two main drivers of multidimensional vulnerability were adaptive capacity to disasters and water source, but this is not the case when you look at districts – for instance, zooming into the three districts comprising the Western Province and the three in the Eastern Province, we can see that the two biggest drivers were adaptive capacity and household debt, indicating that resources in these areas should be allocated towards different sectors and policy interventions than what is evident from the national picture – for instance, these six districts would require greater investments in interventions centred around enhancing financial literacy, diversifying livelihood options and skills, and strengthening market linkages, for example, as well as a stronger regulatory framework on microfinance institutions at the national level. In most districts, the lack of adaptive capacity to disasters stands out, and this also calls for a nation-wide effort to reduce vulnerability through insurance schemes, prevention mechanisms and response funds to disasters.

Investing in prevention is smarter than addressing the cure. The same logic applies by reducing the degree of vulnerabilities when it comes to looking after the wellbeing of the population. In this regard, investing in prevention to safeguard the wellbeing of the Sri Lankan population would mean ensuring that indicators that allow us to assess the degree of multidimensional vulnerability must be incorporated into official statistical exercises going forward – we must understand who is at risk of falling into poverty, and plan and allocate our resources to ensure that they do not.

As we navigate this complex and fast-evolving terrain, we must remember that our efforts today lay the foundation for a more secure and inclusive tomorrow. By leveraging tools like MPI & MVI and by adopting multidimensional approaches in our policy planning, budgeting, and monitoring efforts, we can build a future where no one is left behind.

To access the full report, log onto: www.undp.org/srilanka/mvi 

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