The Hon. Sajith Premadasa – Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, if I respond to this, I must state that the points presented by the Hon. Minister are inaccurate. She herself said the National Commission on Women has not been gazetted. Please see, I have the Gazette here. I will send a copy to you, Hon. Speaker. It has been gazetted. I regret that the Minister had to give such an answer.

¶ 02 Hon. Minister, you said funds were set aside in May 2025, but the Commission was established only in September. Even if it was constituted in September, at the time of presenting the Budget, the Government could have allocated funds through a Supplementary Estimate. You did not do so.

¶ 03 I wish to ask: the Sri Lanka Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus nominated two representatives to the Commission in January 2025. Then, in February, at CEDAW in Geneva, the Government stated all measures to operationalize the Commission were complete. Now your answer says an Executive Director has been appointed. In fact, that process should be conducted by the Commission members together with its Chair, not as a political appointment. Yet the Ministry Secretary has been appointed.

¶ 04 Further, we must not be treated differently when the Opposition asks supplementary questions. I am asking, Hon. Minister, do you not think appointing a Ministry Secretary as Executive Director compromises independence? Also, you say Rs. 50 million has been allocated.