The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, I am pleased to join this Adjournment Motion, presented for International Women’s Day in three days’ time.

¶ 02 The UN designated 8 March as International Women’s Day in 1977. That same year, the UNP Government established Sri Lanka’s first Ministry for Women’s Affairs, and every subsequent government has maintained a women’s ministry and implemented programs for women’s development. Women’s desks and gender units were set up across ministries, institutions, the armed forces and police.

¶ 03 During the good governance period, we implemented significant measures, including a nutrition pack for expectant mothers. There is a saying: “Educate a boy, you educate an individual; educate a girl, you educate a family.” Empowering the woman elevates the family, and thus society. If a woman’s status collapses, the family and society suffer.

¶ 04 Sri Lanka produced the world’s first woman Prime Minister and, in the last few decades, an Executive President who was a woman. Today, the Prime Minister is a woman; this House has a significant number of women MPs, including yourself, and many women serve in local authorities—something we can all be proud of.

¶ 05 In the administrative service, legal profession, teaching and nursing, women predominate; in universities, excluding engineering, female students are the majority in many faculties. Yet there remain areas where, from the women’s perspective, we cannot be satisfied.

¶ 06 The three leading foreign exchange earners—overseas employment, apparel, and tea/plantation agriculture—rely heavily on women. But in each, women face unresolved hardships: domestic workers in the Middle East, women in FTZ garment factories, and plantation women endure harsh experiences. With global conflicts, risks are rising; the Government must pay prime attention.

¶ 07 In our culture, women hold a unique place: we call the earth “motherland,” venerate Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Pattini—female deities representing knowledge, prosperity, and motherhood. This underscores women’s revered role.

¶ 08 I will leave a few minutes for another speaker, but let me say: annual ceremonies and statements are not enough. It is time for action; the opportunity is here. The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus can launch cross-party initiatives; as Opposition, we will support. The Opposition Leader is also ready to assist.

¶ 09 Women are 52% of the population but only about 32% of the labour force. Many women work in unstable, low-income jobs. The unpaid, immeasurable service of housewives—leading households and raising children—has no monetary value attached. In Parliament, when we adjourn at 5.00 p.m., men often go home to rest; women go home to start their second shift. We must recognize this and act. In Q1 2025, female unemployment was 6.39%. Despite rising educational attainment, much of women’s labour is expended as homemakers. Thank you for the opportunity.