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Women & Children
458 speeches · 144 speakers
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By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
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Speeches
458 on this topic- 23 September 2025 The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva marked the International Day of Sign Languages, emphasizing that communication rights are essential to the dignity and inclusion of Sri Lanka’s Deaf community, and noted that a Sign Language Bill prepared by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities has been sent to the Legal Draftsman. He called for professional recognition and support for sign language interpreters, stating that lack of access to sign language marginalizes Deaf persons in education, health, and daily life. He also raised allegations of sexual abuse of four Deaf children at a school in Anuradhapura, urged strict punishment and systemic reforms in the governance of such institutions, and requested that the school be brought under the North Central Provincial Council while calling for unanimous passage of the forthcoming Bill. Second Reading Debate: National Building Research Institute Bill Read →
- 23 September 2025 The Hon. Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy JJB AI summary Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy raised concern that a Netherlands-funded special women’s treatment centre in Kilinochchi has remained non-operational for years despite having advanced medical equipment, some of which has expired or is nearing expiry. He referred to previous assurances that provincial staff would be assigned on rotation and to a recent local protest, and requested that the Minister and officials visit the centre, appoint staff immediately, and make it operational to serve women in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya. Oral Question Q.2/2025: Divisional Hospitals in Jaffna and Kilinochchi Districts Read →
- 12 September 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Chamindranee Kiriella raised a point of order under Standing Order 91(c) concerning remarks made during the previous day’s debate on violence against women. She objected to a statement by the Minister for Women and Child Affairs implying that Opposition women Members, including herself and Hon. Rohini Kaviratne, entered Parliament through family patronage, arguing that both were elected by the people. She said the remarks disrespected their parliamentary membership and the voters of Kandy and Matale. Questions by Private Notice: Issues in Education and Higher Education Sectors (Standing Order 27(2)) Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary On behalf of the relevant Ministers, approval was sought for two supplementary allocations for the 2025 financial year. The first was Rs. 13.2856 billion in capital expenditure under the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing for the completion of the Kandy North Pathadumbara Integrated Water Supply Project, and the second was Rs. 1.5 billion in recurrent expenditure under the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs for nutritious food packages for expectant mothers. Both motions noted Cabinet approval and were agreed to by Parliament. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe addressed the Supplementary Estimates and urged action on the long-abandoned Saudi-funded 500-house Nuraicholai tsunami housing scheme in Akkaraipattu, completed in 2009 but not handed over to beneficiaries. He called on the President, Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and relevant ministries to convene special meetings and allocate the houses to tsunami-affected families, while arguing that any court-ordered ethnic allocation principle should apply consistently to housing schemes nationwide. He also responded to a claim about Kalmunai District Coordinating Committee meetings, citing a 2024 District Secretary’s letter directing joint meetings for Kalmunai DS Division and Kalmunai North Sub-office at a common venue. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu JJB AI summary Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu spoke in support of the Audit Amendment and Supplementary Estimates, particularly additional allocations for the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs to restore and expand nutrition, child care, livelihood and anti-domestic violence programmes. He cited the impact of the economic crisis on pregnant mothers, children, migrant women workers, orphans, school dropouts, child labour and drug addiction, and proposed inter-ministerial and 2026 Budget measures including clinics, vocational training and improved transport. He also referred to funding for the Urban Regeneration Programme and “Water for All,” especially in districts such as Anuradhapura, and commented on the passage of the Former Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill and the voting behaviour of Opposition Members. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. K. Kader Masthan SLLP AI summary Hon. K. Kader Masthan supported the National Audit (Amendment) Bill as part of anti-corruption efforts, but said past audit findings had wrongly affected resettlement lands in Musali and Manthai West by treating previously inhabited areas as forest. He supported supplementary allocations for pregnant mothers’ nutrition, housing and resettlement, while calling for increased future funding and urgent improvements to roads, electricity, water, and services in post-war areas. He welcomed India’s Rs. 600 million grant for Mannar General Hospital and urged action on releasing public and forest lands, including 10 acres at Poomoddai for a lawful garbage dumping site before the pending court matter. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper argued that many young women hesitate to have children due to concerns about their future lives and careers. He said motherhood should be encouraged and supported more strongly, acknowledging its unique role and the need to address career-related barriers to childbirth. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper welcomed allocations for pregnant mothers as an investment in national development, highlighting particular hardships faced by women in the North, East and upcountry. He urged that, alongside maternal welfare funding, resources be allocated to deliver justice for wartime atrocities, citing mass graves such as Chemmani and Kurukalmadam and the Justice Minister’s remarks. He proposed strengthening Sri Lanka’s maternal support schemes by drawing on examples from India, Bangladesh, Rwanda and Chile, and called for the next Budget to fully fund comprehensive support for pregnant mothers, including measures that make motherhood more compatible with education and careers. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) A.M.M.M. Rathwaththe JJB AI summary Several laws have recently been passed to dignify politics, and the debate concerns the National Audit (Amendment) Bill and Supplementary Estimates for the Ministries of Urban Development, Housing and Construction, and Women and Child Affairs. The Supplementary Estimate for Urban Development, Housing and Construction seeks Rs. 13.3 billion in domestic financing to settle contractor dues and complete the Kandy North–Pathadumbara Integrated Water Supply Project, intended to address drinking water needs for up to 700,000 families. The Supplementary Estimate for Women and Child Affairs provides Rs. 1.5 billion to grant a one-off Rs. 5,000 nutrition pack to 162,200 undernourished pregnant and lactating mothers during the December season, following the earlier suspension of the programme during the local election period. It also enables increased provision for nutrition packs through virement, raising the allocation from Rs. 7.5 billion to Rs. 9 billion without a new net allocation. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan ITAK AI summary Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan raised concerns over the Mannar District Solid Waste Management Project, stating that a Rs. 77 million ADB- and municipal-funded project has been obstructed by a public institution and affected by objections from the Forest and Wildlife Departments, with further details to be tabled later. He urged the Government to give priority to nutrition, health and livelihood support for female-headed and war-affected households in the North and East, including pregnant mothers and communities facing gaps in Thriposha delivery. He also argued that domestic mechanisms and commission recommendations on wartime disappearances and killings have failed, citing ongoing protests by families of the disappeared and recent allegations by a former EPDP cadre, and called for an impartial international investigation to ensure justice and reconciliation. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB AI summary Gayantha Karunathilleka addressed the Supplementary Estimate for the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, seeking clarification on how much of the proposed allocation for nutrition support packs would directly benefit pregnant mothers. He cited economic hardship, declining births and antenatal registrations, and World Food Programme findings to argue for urgent nutrition interventions, including unconditional cash top-ups for pregnant mothers and malnourished children and a daily meal for preschool children. He also raised concern over more than 5,000 child abuse complaints received by the National Child Protection Authority in the first seven months of 2025, calling for stronger child protection measures alongside nutrition support. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs JJB AI summary Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj defended the dignity and role of women MPs, rejecting sexist, ethnic, physical, and family-based attacks and stating that the 20 women Members represent the interests of women across the country. Referring to the Supplementary Estimates for the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, she said Rs. 1,500 million is proposed to provide Rs. 5,000 nutrition packs to undernourished pregnant and lactating mothers over a 10-month period. She cited concerns over malnutrition, low birth weight, stunting, and wasting, and said around 160,200 beneficiaries would be identified from about 280,000 pregnant mothers, using funds saved after an earlier Aswesuma-related food concession was halted during the local election period. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala SJB AI summary J.C. Alawathuwala expressed support for strengthening the national audit framework, arguing that audit is essential for fiscal discipline across ministries and departments and should have adequate powers, including legal authority to act on findings. He said the Opposition supports empowering audit in the context of the National Audit (Amendment) Bill. He also welcomed the supplementary estimate for the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, particularly additional maternal nutrition support such as the extra Rs. 5,000 festive-period allowance. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya criticized the justification of a reaction to a woman’s speech by comparing it to victim-blaming narratives used against women facing violence. She argued that saying the response would not have occurred if the woman had not spoken further insults and blames the woman for the conduct directed at her. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB AI summary Bimal Rathnayake condemned an insulting remark directed at Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra, arguing that failing to correct such conduct after it is identified is unacceptable. He recalled having warned during the Women’s Affairs Vote that the 22 women MPs should be protected, and said the person responsible had still not accepted fault even after the Prime Minister pointed it out, while also alleging that a related social media post was false. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya objected to remarks made by another Member, saying they were threatening and carried a gendered implication. She urged him and the SJB to understand the issue and align their conduct with their stated commitments on women’s rights. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Read →
- 11 September 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB AI summary The Prime Minister stated that the Bribery Commission has initiated a preliminary inquiry under Section 42 of the Anti-Corruption Act into Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna’s complaint, and that further answers can be given only after an investigation begins or concludes. She said the Government is pursuing anti-corruption action within the legal framework while respecting the Commission’s independence. She also raised concern over alleged threatening and harassing conduct towards MP Lakmali Hemachandra, linking it to the wider issue of violence against women in politics, and requested the Speaker to caution Members or establish procedures to prevent such behaviour. Ministerial Statements and Privilege Question Read →
- 22 August 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs JJB AI summary The Minister thanked Hon. Shritharan for the motion in the context of the upcoming UNHRC session and argued that sustainable peace depends on equal opportunity, justice, accountability, and equitable economic development across communities and regions. She outlined Budget priorities for the North and Malaiyaha areas, including rural roads, bridges, agriculture, transport, education, housing, land, sanitation, and recognition of Malaiyaha people as Sri Lankan citizens. She also highlighted legal measures prohibiting child domestic labour, child begging, and hazardous work under 18, and emphasized women’s political participation, women’s action societies, cottage industry development, equal pay, media freedom, and protection of fundamental rights. Adjournment Motion: Human Rights Issues Faced by the Tamil Community in the North, East and Hill Country Read →
- 22 August 2025 The Hon. K. Kader Masthan SLLP AI summary K. Kader Masthan supported the adjournment motion on human rights issues affecting Tamils in the North, East and Malaiyaha region, linking longstanding minority grievances, disappearances, PTA-related abuses, torture allegations and lack of accountability to the need for urgent government action. He called for swift repeal of the PTA, release of lands held or gazetted by the military and state departments in the Vanni, relaxation of restrictions on NGO activity, and improvements to women’s rights, equal pay, education and health infrastructure. He also urged the Government to allow the importation of 16,000 Tamil translations of the Holy Qur’an and hold responsible those who blocked them. Adjournment Motion: Human Rights Issues Faced by the Tamil Community in the North, East and Hill Country Read →