Excerpts from the Speech of Her Excellency Shiranthi Wickramasinghe Rajapakse

It is extremely relevant that this conference will focus on a range of roles that women play in building harmony and interdependency, connect people locally and in general globally, promoting diversity, creating inner and outward peace, and building awareness in protecting this environment. Importantly, it will also expand the role of women in building harmony in a violent world.

Women are a necessary part of our society and serve as the golden hand that holds the social fabric of our nation and in the world at large. This is touched through harmony with oneself connecting with various elements of society and creating interdependency. Increasingly, women are occupying many roles that were traditionally in the dominion of men.

I am proud to be representing a country that can boast of many achievements in women empowerment. Our constitution takes note of gender equality and freedom from discrimination on the grounds of gender as a fundamental right to every citizen. The Women’s Charter of Sri Lanka declares that the state shall take measures to ensure political and civil rights, rights within the family, right to education and training, right to economic activity and benefits, right to healthcare and nutrition, right to protection from social discrimination, and the right to protection from gender-based violence. We all want peace, prosperity and the promise of a better future for our children.

Therefore let us resolve to work together. To achieve these ends we need to unite the differences, as such harmony would give way to a sustainable strength and change it to perfection and the world then would be a better place for all. A woman is a full circle. Within her is the power to create and transform.