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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- 4 March 2026 The Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra argued that the central issue in the repeal of the 2016 Microfinance Act and the new regulatory framework is the definition of “microfinance,” particularly its inclusion of community financial organizations. She noted that predatory lenders operating outside effective regulation have harmed women, while community finance groups function differently and should not be treated wholesale as microfinance operators. She referred to the 2024 Bill, the Supreme Court Determination, and Sectoral Oversight Committee recommendations, stating that all microfinance entities must be regulated without creating gaps, but that future regulations or mechanisms should protect women-led community finance organizations from inappropriate or excessive regulation. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary Welcoming the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill, Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam said regulation is necessary because exploitative microfinance practices after the war particularly harmed women-headed households in the North and East, causing debt traps, harassment, and suicides. He argued that the Bill is too broad and may include non-profit, community-based lending groups formed by villagers for mutual support, and proposed a separate category with appropriate provisions for such organizations. He also called for adequate women’s representation in the proposed Authority and submitted amendments, while referring to unresolved wartime displacement and disappearances in the North and East. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu JJB AI summary Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu supported the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill as a measure to regulate, monitor, and make microfinance institutions accountable, citing high-interest lending, unclear loan agreements, weekly collections, and debt cycles affecting poor borrowers, especially women-headed households in the North and East after 2009. He highlighted cases in Batticaloa, including outstanding microfinance debt and suicides linked to harassment and digital phone-based lending, and argued that the Government must provide relief and protection to affected communities. He also briefly called for state support to develop Sri Lanka’s Tamil cinema sector, referring to the Indo-Lanka film “Anthony” and opportunities for Sri Lankan Tamil artists. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. (Mrs.) Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Sagarika Athauda supported the microfinance legislation, arguing that while microfinance can promote rural enterprise, self-employment and women’s economic empowerment, weak regulation has led to severe debt distress, including reported suicides and hardship especially among women and in the North and East after the war. She said many loans had been used for consumption rather than income generation, creating cycles of borrowing to repay earlier loans. She called for Central Bank-guided regulation covering licensing, supervision, market conduct, credit counselling, financial literacy, complaint mechanisms and coordinated lending practices, alongside rural economic development programmes to ensure microfinance supports low-income communities safely and ethically. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson supported regulating microfinance but urged the Government to consult indebted borrowers, especially women, before passing the Bill, distinguishing genuine community-based lending groups from exploitative lenders and ensuring relief for those affected. He questioned whether village societies and voluntary groups would fall under Central Bank oversight, called for the National Women’s Commission to be revived before its representation in the proposed Authority, and asked women MPs to be involved. He also raised implementation concerns over disability, kidney patient and elderly allowances, and demanded a guaranteed paddy price for farmers in areas where harvesting had begun. He reminded the Government of past commitments made to indebted women during a 2021 protest and urged those pledges to be honoured before enactment. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake welcomed the Bill as overdue and urged immediate action against financial fraud schemes that have allegedly devastated depositors. He cited “Eon Lanka” in Kurunegala, said to have taken funds from 10,700 soldiers including disabled war veterans, and “Earnviv” in Polonnaruwa, which he said defrauded about 5,000 families through cryptocurrency trading. He called for prosecution, recovery of funds, and, if Police action is insufficient, empowering Defence authorities to stop and arrest those responsible. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Rohana Bandara AI summary Rohana Bandara supported the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill’s aim of protecting depositors and borrowers, particularly women, from abusive microfinance practices, while urging that non-profit village societies and volunteer-run community organisations receive regulatory relief. He proposed mandatory women’s representation on the Authority and called for stricter supervision of profit-driven lenders, pawn brokers, leasing-related pledges, and jewellery shops to prevent illegal pledging of assets and protect lawful businesses. He also raised a separate concern that farmers harvesting paddy remain under pressure due to the lack of an effective fair procurement mechanism. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. (Mrs.) Samanmali Gunasingha JJB AI summary Mrs. Samanmali Gunasingha supported the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill as a response to widespread unregulated high-interest lending affecting over 2.4 million women borrowers and linked to severe social harms, including suicides. She said the Bill would establish regulatory oversight, complaint mechanisms down to local levels, data collection, interest and fair-practice controls, and requirements such as informed consent in borrowers’ preferred languages. She also referred to alleged abusive practices by specific microfinance institutions and linked the Bill to broader government plans to provide Rs. 96 billion in collateral-free support for women and other entrepreneurs. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB AI summary The Minister supported the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill as a replacement for the Microfinance Act, No. 6 of 2016, emphasizing customer protection, licensing, and supervision of money lending and microfinance businesses. He traced the sector’s role in serving low-income borrowers excluded from formal banking, including Sri Lanka’s cooperative, Janasaviya and Samurdhi-based models, while noting that commercialization and weakened social collateral had led to exploitative practices. He cited unregulated operators, high interest rates, unfair recoveries, distress among women borrowers, suicides, and depositor losses as reasons for stronger regulation, while clarifying that cooperatives, Samurdhi institutions, pawn brokers and other bodies already regulated under specific laws are excluded from the Bill’s scope. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary The Leader of the Opposition criticized the Government’s proposed microfinance-related measures, arguing that they would disadvantage community-based lending groups, women-led credit programmes, and poor and informal-sector borrowers while favouring banks, finance companies, and licence-holders. He said regulation should target loan sharks, online illegal lenders, and large institutions that commercialized microfinance and contributed to debt distress, rather than grassroots organizations such as community credit groups and funeral aid societies. He called for amendments to the Bill to protect women, women-headed households, rural self-employed people, estate and North-East communities, and other vulnerable borrowers. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi JJB AI summary Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi supported the microfinance Bill, arguing that it is intended to regulate and guide the sector rather than oppress people, citing suicides linked to microfinance debt among women as evidence of the need for action. He said the Bill followed consultations with the Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, relevant institutions and community-based organizations, and would establish coordination between the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority and the Central Bank. He stated that community-based organizations would be assisted toward legal registration and appropriate regulation, while public financial-awareness programmes and initiatives such as “Praja Shakthi” would help vulnerable women and low-income groups avoid renewed debt traps. Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage — Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports AI summary The Minister replied to Question 1476/2025 on youth and sports projects in Trincomalee District, listing completed and ongoing programmes including youth festivals, drama workshops, leadership camps, job-orientation courses, Youth Day activities, and overseas exposure opportunities. He stated that sports allocations include national funding with Rs. 200 million for the McHeyzer Stadium indoor complex, Rs. 50 million for outdoor works, and planned funding for school sports grounds, noting that the 400-metre track has been completed and remaining works are to be finished this year. He also said 2026 plans include expanded sports competitions in Trincomalee and other Northern and Eastern districts, with further details tabled in annexes. Oral Question: Projects in Trincomalee District (Q.1476/2025) Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake argued that Sri Lanka should leverage its proximity to India and pursue deeper economic integration to accelerate growth beyond current 3-4% levels. He criticised reliance on high interest rates to control inflation, saying it contracts the economy, and called for support to SMEs, youth entrepreneurship, and women’s participation in the domestic workforce instead of labour migration. He urged the Government to attract foreign capital through capital accounts, strengthen the balance of payments, support the rupee, and reduce the cost of living. Debate: Regulation under Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017 Read →
- 20 February 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa — Leader of the Opposition AI summary Raised concern that the disability allowance had again been delayed, noting that the previous month’s payment was made around the 26th rather than the usual 10th–15th and that the current month’s payment had not yet been made. Requested the relevant Minister to ensure timely payment to persons with disabilities, and acknowledged the Minister’s detailed reply while seeking further clarifications. Clarifications and Supplementary Questions; Matters of Order and Privilege Read →
- 19 February 2026 The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri introduced an Amendment Bill to the Kandyan Marriage and Divorce Act, stating that subsections 32(a) and 32(b) treat women differently and should be corrected. The Bill was read a first time, ordered to be printed, and referred under Standing Order No. 52(6) to the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government for report. Private Members' Bill: Kandyan Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill Read →
- 18 February 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Sajith Premadasa challenged the Government’s handling of the National Commission on Women, arguing that it had been placed under the relevant Ministry despite its intended independence and citing the resignation of its Chairperson over staffing, administrative control, and lack of access to senior officials. He tabled Gazette and Appropriation Act documents, questioned delays in funding and operationalizing the Commission, and argued that the proposed Rs. 50 million allocation for 2026 was insufficient compared with the requested Rs. 150 million. He also complained that Opposition questions on education, university administration, acting principal appointments, teacher recruitment, and archaeology were being disallowed, stating that this restricted parliamentary scrutiny. Debate: Special Commodity Levy Act, Customs Ordinance Resolution, and Motor Traffic Act Orders (Continuation) Read →
- 18 February 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathne - Deputy Minister of Mass Media JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister responded to criticism over delays at the Women’s Commission, stating that operational and technical issues had been corrected and rejecting claims that the Government was suppressing the Commission. She then supported approval of four Gazettes related to the economy, foreign relations and tourism, citing recent IMF remarks, international engagements, growth, inflation, reserves, debt servicing, tourism, remittances, FDI, exports and the current account as evidence of economic stabilization. She also said the Government had managed the economic impact of the “Ditwah” cyclone without revising the Budget and had negotiated to reduce the impact of US tariffs. Debate: Special Commodity Levy Act, Customs Ordinance Resolution, and Motor Traffic Act Orders (Continuation) Read →
- 18 February 2026 The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj – Minister of Women, Children and Social Empowerment AI summary The Minister clarified that she does not appoint the Executive Director, but only forwards nominations, with selection and appointment made by the President through the President’s Office under the Women’s Empowerment Act, No. 37 of 2024. She stated that the relevant Women’s Committee is registered under her Ministry, while the Act establishes a statutory National Commission on Women to support women’s empowerment and the National Policy on Women’s Development and Empowerment. Procedural: Ministry Statement and Standing Order Clarification Read →
- 18 February 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa – Leader of the Opposition AI summary Sajith Premadasa disputed the Minister’s response on the National Commission on Women, stating that the Commission had in fact been gazetted and that budgetary provision could have been made through a Supplementary Estimate after its establishment. He questioned the Government’s prior statements to CEDAW that operationalization was complete and argued that the appointment of the Ministry Secretary as Executive Director should have been handled by the Commission and its Chair, raising concerns about the Commission’s independence. Procedural: Ministry Statement and Standing Order Clarification Read →
- 18 February 2026 The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj – Minister of Women, Children and Social Empowerment AI summary Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj said the former Chairperson of the National Commission on Women had submitted her resignation to the President, as required, and the Ministry was not aware of the reasons or required to be formally notified. She explained that the Commission was established after the 2026 Budget proposals had been submitted, so Rs. 50 million was later allocated and further funds are being sought through a Supplementary Estimate. She stated that an Executive Director assumed duties on 7 January 2026, temporary office space and ministry support are being provided only until permanent premises and staff are secured, and these arrangements do not affect the Commission’s statutory independence. Procedural: Ministry Statement and Standing Order Clarification Read →