The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity.

¶ 02 The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence begins today, to run officially from tomorrow, the 25th, until December 10, which is Human Rights Day. Living free from violence and with dignity is a human right. Since 1991, the world has discussed this. This is not only about women. Many Hon. Members have said today, “We too want to live free of violence.” We all agree—men and women alike—everyone should live free of violence and with equality.

¶ 03 The theme this year is ending gender-based violence in the online/digital space, preventing technology-facilitated abuse. In politics, we can have differing views and policies and debate robustly. But we appeal, across government and opposition, that we refrain from personal, gendered attacks and hostile expressions that harm individuals’ dignity and privacy. Let us collectively uphold this in this august House.

¶ 04 A United Nations/WHO report states 315 million women globally suffered sexual violence in 2024. We must end this. Solutions cannot be deferred. We begin today.

¶ 05 In Tamil: Today we commence the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, to ensure all communities—Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim—enjoy safety and equal participation in politics and society. Women facing gender-based violence can seek help by contacting Police Women and Children’s Bureau 109, the National Help Line for Women and Children 1938, and SLCERT 101 for cyber incidents. Let us build a respectful society, including within Parliament, where we debate ideas without demeaning anyone’s identity, and where all communities live together in safety.

¶ 06 Finally, let us use today to begin changing our wrong habits and perceptions, together, beyond party lines.

¶ 07 Thank you.