Sri Lanka pledges stronger action on women’s rights at Beijing Summit
Source: News Wire
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says Sri Lanka reaffirms its commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of women and girls, and to translating principles into practical action for equality and dignity.
“Nearly thirty years after the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing and the Beijing Platform for Action, we still draw on that comprehensive framework for gender equality. We have made real progress: female literacy has risen, maternal mortality has nearly halved, and global life expectancy has increased from 69 years in 1995 to 76 years in 2023. Yet serious gaps remain: women’s labour-force participation stands at just 48.7% compared with 73% for men; women account for only about 35% of graduates in science and technology; 47.8 million more women than men face moderate or severe food insecurity; and movement toward political parity is far too slow. All-round development of women is, therefore, a holistic process across education, health, the economy, politics, society, and culture, and it demands our continued commitment,” she said.
PM Harini Amarasuriya further emphasised Sri Lanka’s national commitments, including increasing women’s participation in leadership and decision-making to ensure meaningful representation at every level, and implementing the National Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2023–2027), in line with CEDAW and UNSCR 1325.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says Sri Lanka reaffirms its commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of women and girls, and to translating principles into practical action for equality and dignity.
“Nearly thirty years after the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing and the Beijing Platform for Action, we still draw on that comprehensive framework for gender equality. We have made real progress: female literacy has risen, maternal mortality has nearly halved, and global life expectancy has increased from 69 years in 1995 to 76 years in 2023. Yet serious gaps remain: women’s labour-force participation stands at just 48.7% compared with 73% for men; women account for only about 35% of graduates in science and technology; 47.8 million more women than men face moderate or severe food insecurity; and movement toward political parity is far too slow. All-round development of women is, therefore, a holistic process across education, health, the economy, politics, society, and culture, and it demands our continued commitment,” she said.
PM Harini Amarasuriya further emphasised Sri Lanka’s national commitments, including increasing women’s participation in leadership and decision-making to ensure meaningful representation at every level, and implementing the National Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2023–2027), in line with CEDAW and UNSCR 1325.