When Women Lead, Nations Change: Sri Lanka's Unfinished Journey

"I am the first to enter politics from here, and my brothers and sisters will undoubtedly follow," said Ambika Samuel, the first Malayaha woman elected to Sri Lanka's parliament.

- BY THAVIKSHA BULATHSINHALA

Thaviksha Bulathsinhala

With not an ounce of political lineage behind her, the daughter of plantation worker parents, paved her way up through determination and social activism. She faced a myriad of challenges from language barriers to social marginalisation, yet proved that women's political leadership can be achieved, through dedication, vision, and a deep commitment to service. Is Ambika's success an exceptional rare breakthrough or is it one of the many journeys every woman takes to become a leader of her own? I will explore our answer to this question with the anecdotes of similar rebels, and the literature published by various organisations that have given power for the women's voice to be heard in the political network of Sri Lanka.

Women make up over 56% of registered voters, yet they accounted for barely 5% of legislators in parliament between 2020 and 2024. Sri Lanka's Gender Inequality Index took a hit in 2024, worsening from 93 to 122, thanks to low political representation of women, triggering alarm bells of stagnating gender equity gains. The upside? In 2025, the index started to bounce back, indicating modest progress in women's political representation and gender equality at large.

Similarly, the 25% quota for women in local government which Sri Lanka established in 2017 has not brought meaningful change according to gender activists who view it as a symbolic measure. The activists argue that political parties would have run with no female candidates or very few candidates if quotas did not exist because men have traditionally controlled these parties and continue to block women from entering politics. Equity alone isn't enough, without women actively in politics. Their concerns risk being overlooked in the halls of power.