Women have served in the Parliament of Sri Lanka since 1931 and have been represented in all successive parliaments to date. The first woman representative was Hon. (Ms.) Adeline Molamure, elected to the State Council, daughter of Hon. J. H. Meedeniya and wife of Hon. Alfred Francis Molamure, both State Councilors.
Women in Parliament, however small in numbers, have held high positions in Parliament and the cabinet. Two women have become Prime Minister and one has gone on to become the President of Sri Lanka. Hon. (Mrs.) Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the widow of the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Hon. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became the world's first female head of government on 21 July 1960. Her daughter, Hon. (Ms.) Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, became Sri Lanka's first female Head of State and President.
This marked the first time that a female Prime Minister directly succeeded another female Prime Minister, and is also the first time that a nation possessed a female Prime Minister and a female President simultaneously.
The first Muslim National Lady Member of Parliament is Ms. Ferial Ashraff, who first got elected to the Parliament on 10.10.2000 and she subsequently became the first Muslim National lady Minister in Sri Lanka.
Hon. Dinesh Chandra Rupasinghe Gunawardena, the 15th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is a son of the former woman parliamentarian, Hon. (Mrs.) Kusumasiri Gunawardena.
The following table depicts the details with regard to the representations of the women parliamentarians in Sri Lanka.
Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) in Sri Lanka is a unique parliamentary mechanism that unites women parliamentarians from diverse political parties, geographical locations, ethnic and religious groups together under one objective – empowerment of women and elimination of all forms of violence and harassment against women and girls- and functions as the highest decision making body on gender while advocating for legal and policy matters for achieving gender equality in Sri Lanka.
The strategies of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus include increasing the participation of women in politics, safeguarding women’s rights and gender equality, preventing all sorts of violations and harassments against women, looking into the welfare of the women workers including the migrant workers, poverty alleviation among underprivileged women & widows and providing them with vocational training and facilities.
Improving education among women, looking into the health related problems of the women, providing legal aids and counseling, enacting legislation for the betterment of the women and contributing to the development of the country in general are also strategies of the Women Caucus.
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus conducts its activities through advocacy in Parliament, coordinated activities with the women Provincial Councilors and Members of the Local Government Bodies, awareness programmes, workshops, trainings and conferences and outreach activities at district levels.
The Caucus has been working throughout the past 18 years very successfully without any political differences, it was able to make a significant impact in the country. The Caucus had also created a network of partnership with the women Provincial Councilors and Members of the Local Government Bodies, Government Ministries, Departments and Institutions, United Nations Agencies, Local & International Civil Society Organizations and individual professionals.
All 12 Women Parliamentarians’ are members of the Caucus. The Hon (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle is the Chairperson of the Caucus while the Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Seetha Arambepola State Minister of Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovation and Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathne MP, act as Vice Chairpersons.
OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Create a society that accept, respect and provide equal status and opportunities for women in social, economic and political spheres in Sri Lanka
OUR MISSION FOR SUCCESS
Acting together across party political, ethnic and religious affiliations and differences, ensure equality for all, especially women, by advocating, enacting and monitoring gender responsive laws and budgets in Sri Lanka.
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