News
AIA reminds you to celebrate diversity everyday
AIA Insurance, one of Sri Lanka’s Best Workplaces for women for five consecutive years (2018-2022) has dedicated the month of March to celebrate diversity across all strata of women, to reflect on progress made and to call for greater gender equality and inclusivity, not just in the company, but across the country. As usual, AIA celebrates International Women’s Day not just on the 08th of March, but rather an entire month dedicated to recognize, honour and appreciate the role of the woman with a series of carefully curated line of events that are fun, inspirational and educational.
Last year, AIA together with IFC – under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work programme – launched ‘ඇය සුරකින AIA’ – a women’s programme that empowers women across the island and the Company will continue its endeavour to support women to be courageous, confident, to feel valued and appreciated, while ensuring to protect her and provide her with financial security.
Women everywhere want and deserve a future with equal rights and opportunities for all, free from stigma and stereotypes. At AIA Insurance, this is a serious mission. AIA provides numerous benefits for women employees and agents and continues to promote a culture of meritocracy with the aim of providing all employees fair and equal opportunities to bring out the best in them and support them to achieve their career aspirations.
AIA has taken many sustained efforts in this regard and ensured that the Company’s women employees are groomed and encouraged to take up senior leadership roles through a carefully curated unbiased career development process. As a result, today, 41% of AIA’s employees are women, 48% of the sales force are women and 52% among the top 100 high performers. 26% of AIA’s senior management are women with the Company’s women in insurance special roles including 69% in operations and 50% in actuarial. So, there is no limit to their potential.
While a gender inclusive work environment is encouraged, it is noteworthy that at AIA, International Men’s Day is also celebrated each year, to appreciate the strength men bring to all of us. The Company also revamped the ‘New Parents Support Scheme’ where both fathers and mothers can benefit from.
The Company’s commitment goes beyond their employees and extends to their customers, female entrepreneurs and the community as well. AIA is the only Company in Sri Lanka that has conducted a market study on the needs, preferences, and challenges of Sri Lankan women, in collaboration with IFC, to develop a holistic women-centric business strategy. Through the ‘ඇය සුරකින AIA’ platform, AIA hopes to further launch many initiatives for women including employees, agents, customers and community at large. AIA also recently partnered the Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) to promote women entrepreneurship across the nation. Further, AIA’s She Protect a first-of-its-kind protection plan provides a higher protection cover to one of the most important customer segments in our market: women. ‘She Protect’ offers a range of optional benefits for women customers to personalise the protection they need based on their lifestyle and desires, for affordable premiums.
AIA is happy to celebrate the progress on diversity, equality and inclusivity, made thus far while not forgetting to keep working towards enabling respect, safety and opportunity for women not only at work but across the country.
Advisory for strong winds and rough seas for Multi-day boats in the Bay of Bengal deep sea areas
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 05.00 p.m. 18 September 2026, valid for the next 24 hours.
PLEASE BE AWARE!
The atmospheric disturbance to the North of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to develop into a low pressure area within the next 24 hours.
Due to its influence, wind speed over the Bay of Bengal sea areas will increase during the next few days starting from
tomorrow (19th).
The wind speed in the sea areas marked under the “Advisory” category on the map below will increase to 55-65 kmph at times and those sea areas will be rough or very rough at times.
Navel and fishing communities engaging the activities over this sea area are advised to be vigilant and be attentive to the future forecasts and bulletins issued by the department of Meteorology in this regards.
Text and Pic by Priyan de Silva
Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) Ranga Dissanayake has questioned whether some promises contained in the National People’s Power (NPP) manifesto, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life, could be fulfilled even if the government wanted to implement them.
Dissanayake raised the issue during a discussion following the release of the third biannual report on manifesto monitoring by the March 12 Movement, at the BMICH, on Wednesday.
He questioned whether the report had taken into account legal and institutional constraints affecting the implementation of certain pledges.
Citing the proposal to establish Anti-Corruption Investigation Offices in each district, Dissanayake said such offices could be established only with the agreement of CIABOC and that amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act would be necessary.
He also referred to the pledge to abolish the Executive Presidency, noting that successive governments had made similar commitments since 1994. He questioned whether there had been adequate consideration of where the powers vested in the Executive President would be transferred if the system were abolished.
On the proposal to establish a Public Prosecutor, Dissanayake questioned whether the Government intended to maintain the office alongside the Attorney General, who currently performs prosecution-related functions.
Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) Manjula Gajanayake said Dissanayake’s remarks should be regarded as his personal views and not as Government policy.
Monitoring and Evaluation Consultants M. Thilakarajah and D.D. Mataharaarachchi presented the third-phase findings, covering January to June 2026.
The corruption case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against former Navy Commander, Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, and Yoshitha Rajapaksa was set for a pre-trial conference by the Colombo High Court.
The case was taken up before the Colombo High Court on Thursday (17), when the accused, who are currently out on bail, appeared before the court. After considering the submissions made, the court ordered that the case be called for a pre-trial conference.
The CIABOC had filed the case against the accused, alleging that a corruption offence was committed by sending Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, for training at the Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom despite him not having the required qualifications.
Advisory for strong winds and rough seas for Multi-day boats in the Bay of Bengal
Showers in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya Districts
Some NPP manifesto promises may be difficult to fulfil – CIABOC DG
Yoshitha and ex-Navy chief Karannagoda’s case fixed for PTC
Court orders probe into Wimal’s rally speech
Court to rule on Dilith’s writ petition on September 30
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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