Closing gender gap is economic strategy, boosts country’s GDP: Prime Minister

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Sri Lanka, on Wednesday launched a series of evidence-based reports at a forum under the banner — ‘Unlocking the Gender Dividend: Driving Policy Change Through Knowledge’.

- By RANDIMA ATTYGALLE

The reports which lobby for closing the gender gaps in the country across multiple landscapes, were formally handed over to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya who delivered the keynote address at the event.

The reports titled, ‘Barriers to Women’s Political Participation in Sri Lanka’, ‘Gendered Vulnerabilities to Climate Change in Sri Lanka in the Context of the Economic Crisis’, ‘Gender Discrimination in Sri Lanka: Law, Policy and Practice’, ‘Research Study on Technology-Facilitated Violence Experienced by Women and Marginalised Groups in Sri Lanka’ and ‘Counting and valuing women’s work in Sri Lanka’, provide policymakers, researchers, and civil society with critical evidence and policy recommendations to address persistent gender inequalities and emerging challenges in the country and create a more inclusive and equitable Lankan society.

Remarking that the report findings can fuel six-priority areas for the country, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya pointed out that the National Commission on Women which is mandated by the Women’s Empowerment Act No. 37 of 2024 is among the top. The premier further stated that this commission is committed to ensure that the women’s rights are not just words, but they mean enforcement. The Commission is also to champion political pathways, legal reform, digital safety and climate resilience, she said.