February 13, Colombo (LNW): A significant meeting was recently held to review the Action Plan of Sri Lanka’s Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, led by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and the Chairperson of the Caucus, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Saroja Savitri Paulraj.
The gathering, which took place on February 07, focused on several key initiatives aimed at strengthening the role of women in governance and enhancing their representation across various political levels.
One of the main discussions centred on achieving 25 per cent female representation at the provincial level. The Caucus deliberated on the legal amendments needed to bring this proposal to fruition, with a focus on ensuring that women have an equal and active role in the upcoming elections.
It was agreed that the next steps would involve pushing for amendments to current laws to pave the way for this goal.
Further discussions were held around the importance of engaging with political parties to advocate for greater female representation in provincial and local government bodies.
The Caucus decided to meet with party leaders and secretaries to press for the appointment of more women to key positions in these sectors, aiming to increase their visibility and influence in decision-making processes.
In addition to these legislative and political advancements, the meeting also addressed pressing social issues such as the elimination of sexual harassment in the workplace and the need to tackle Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The Caucus members agreed to continue their work in promoting safer and more inclusive environments for women across the country.
Plans for International Women’s Day, set to be observed on March 08, were also discussed, with the aim of using the occasion to raise awareness and drive further action on the issues affecting women in Sri Lanka.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Co-Chairpersons of the Caucus, including Parliamentarians Chamindrani Kiriella, Samanmali Gunasinghe, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Geetha Herath, Sagarika Athauda, Kaushalya Ariyarathne, Oshani Umanga, Krishnan Kalaichelvi, Nilanthi Kottahachchi, M.A.C.S. Chathuri Gangani, Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, A.M.M.M. Rathwaththe, Deepthi Wasalage, Hiruni Wijesinghe, Ambika Samivel, and Lakmali Hemachandra.
