President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his message marking International Women's Day, has described the day as a true victory for the women's rights movement. His announcement reads as follows:
The conceptual beginning of Women's Day was a march by approximately 15,000 women in New York City demanding reduced working hours, better wages, and voting rights. March 8, the day when Russian women went on strike demanding "bread and peace" during the February Revolution of 1917, later became International Women's Day.
Although our country has held Women's Day celebrations with many discussions and dialogues over the years, these conversations remained limited to platforms and were not implemented as realities on the ground. The contribution of Sri Lankan women to the formation of the National People's Power government was immense. While expressing our gratitude as a government for that great effort, I also recall that we have taken the necessary initial steps to secure numerous victories for Sri Lankan women during the short period that has passed.
It is undisputed that the election of twenty women as Members of Parliament in the last general election, enhancing women's political representation, participation, and role—which had only been subject to discussion for decades—marks a turning point in the country's politics.
Furthermore, implementing social justice for gender equality, we have put into action plans to actively and productively involve women, who constitute 51.7% of our country's population, in the production economy process, which is the economic policy of the National People's Power government. Fulfilling the aspiration of a just society, an independent country, and a free woman, we as a government have prioritized making essential structural changes to protect and promote women's rights by acting against all forms of violence and discrimination against women in every location—home, transportation, community, workplace, politics, and beyond.
Accordingly, it should be noted here that this year's Women's Day is organized under the theme "Building a Sustainable Tomorrow – A Path for Empowered Women" under the broader theme of "Equality, Rights, and Empowerment for All Women and Girls," which has practical and meaningful significance.
I extend my warmest wishes for International Women's Day while inviting the entire female generation to join our journey toward a new renaissance for our country, building a safe life for the daughters of the nation and a civilized society.
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