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Women judges should assure patriarchal attitudes do not lead to victim blaming in court proceedings – Justice Wickremasinghe

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Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe, Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane and Justice Menaka Jayasundara addressing the meeting

Sri Lanka Association of Women Judges holds inaugural meeting

Twenty-six (26) sitting and retired women judges came together for the inaugural meeting of the Sri Lanka Association of Women Judges (SLAWJ) which was held recently (08), in line with International Women’s Day. While Supreme Court Justices Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Menaka Jayasudara were appointed as President and Vice President of the Association respectively, retired Supreme Court Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane was appointed as the Patron of SLAWJ.

Delivering her opening remarks, Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe stated, “This gathering marks not only the beginning of an organisation but a collective commitment to advancing gender equality, strengthening judicial integrity, and fostering an inclusive legal system that empowers women within the judiciary.”

Explaining their role, she said, “As women judges, we have a significant role in providing comfort to vulnerable witnesses, focusing on support rather than favouritism in court and ensuring that patriarchal attitudes do not lead to victim blaming in court proceedings.”

Justice Wickremasinghe emphasised that the SLAWJ will strive to encourage more women to pursue careers in the judiciary by challenging societal stigmas and demonstrating that a woman can successfully balance both her professional and personal responsibilities.

The formation of the Association marks a significant step in addressing gender disparities in the Justice Sector of Sri Lanka. This inaugural meeting was supported under UNDP’s ongoing project, titled ‘Ensuring Justice for Victim-survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka,’ implemented with the generous support of the Government of Canada and in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government of Sri Lanka.

The Association complements efforts supported by the project to increase the capacity of justice sector actors to respond effectively to the issues of SGBV victims.

Underscoring the importance of this Association, Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP Sri Lanka, stated “Upon learning about the objectives of the Association, I was deeply inspired. This partnership amplifies our collective efforts towards improving access to justice amongst the most vulnerable. Their mission to drive systemic reforms within the judiciary—tackling biases and obstacles that hinder the professional growth of women judges—is both timely and essential. Moreover, their commitment to advocating for legislative changes that promote gender-responsive laws and policies will have a lasting impact on women’s access to justice that is fair and timely.”

Chief Guest of the event, retired Supreme Court Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane stated “Having a network of women judges to support, encourage and mentor each other, to share in the achievements and challenges of being women judges in their judicial systems has proven to play a real role for women judges throughout the years from the kernel of the idea to the present day. Being affiliated to the IAWJ has been transformational, providing opportunities to learn, understand and grasp the importance of substantive equality in law and in life.”

The Sri Lanka Association of Women Judges seeks to become an affiliate of the International Association of Women Judges, a global network of women judges to advance gender equality and human rights. Commenting on the importance of women representation in the judiciary, Judge Robyn Tupman, Secretary and Treasurer of the International Association of Women Judges, stated that “It seems to me is that the judiciary in any one country, if it’s doing its job properly, must always be reflective of the population it serves. To repeat that old adage, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’, and so it’s important that we as women judges continue to promote a positive role model for young girls and women thinking of and in the legal profession, that they can rise to the higher levels of judicial appointment and to the higher levels of the judiciary. Therefore, we should encourage women to become members of the judiciary and to remain in those positions and to achieve the highest possible level that they can reach.”


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Govt. extends ban on LTTE

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2026/01/13

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The NPP government has issued a new extraordinary gazette renewing and extending Sri Lanka’s long-standing ban on the LTTE and several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals, continuing to designate them as “terrorists”.

The gazette, published recently, replaces a previous gazette issued in May 2025 and reaffirmed the proscription of a wide range of Tamil political and advocacy bodies operating around the world, alongside dozens of named individuals. The government alleged both the organisations and individuals listed are involved in “terrorism-related activities”.

The organisations blacklisted by the Sri Lankan government include:

• Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

• Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO)

• Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC)

• World Tamil Movement (WTM)

• Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)

• World Tamil Relief Fund (WTRF)

• National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT)

• Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO)

While the majority of the designations mirror those contained in the May 2025 gazette, the latest document updates identification details and addresses for a number of individuals and introduces at least one additional organisation to the list. All entries have been reissued under new reference numbers for 2026, though the underlying allegations and framing remain unchanged.

Successive governemnts have maintained a sweeping proscription regime against Tamil diaspora groups and individuals. A ban can make it a criminal offence for Sri Lankan citizens to maintain contact with these organisations or their members, severely restricting political engagement and stifling links between the diaspora and the Tamil homeland.

The original mass listings were introduced in 2014 under the administration of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Despite repeated outcry, subsequent governments have continued to uphold and renew the proscription regime, even after the Rajapaksas were voted out of power.

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Police obtain court order banning Wimal’s protest

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2026/01/13

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National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa addresses a gathering outside the Education Ministry on Monday before launching a protest demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as Education Minister over the inclusion of a link to an adult content website in the Grade 06 English module. (Pic by Thushara Atapattu)

Police yesterday (12) obtained an injunction order from the Kaduwela Magistrate’s court against the protest launched by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and former Minister Wimal Weerawansa opposite the Education Ministry, Isurupaya, at Battaramulla.

Police informed Weerawansa of the court order. In line with the court order, the police informed Weerawansa that the road near the Ministry should not be obstructed and that no sound amplification equipment be used while the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination is in progress. The examination, put off due to Cyclone Ditwah, recommenced yesterday.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expresses optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path to progres

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2026/01/13

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FM Herath with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath held productive discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi today (12/01), during the latter’s brief visit to Sri Lanka.

The meeting aimed at further strengthening bilateral engagement and advancing the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries. Both Ministers reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and time-tested cooperation between Sri Lanka and China rooted in centuries of exchanges and consolidated since the establishment of diplomatic relations seven decades ago. The discussion also focused on enhancing partnership in the areas of trade, investment, development cooperation and tourism.

Minister Herath extended deep appreciation to the Government and the people of China for the steadfast support extended to Sri Lanka following cyclone Ditwah and requested further support for the second phase of resettlement, relocation and rebuilding, particularly for the restoration of affected infrastructure including identified roads, railways and bridges that are vital to connectivity, economic recovery and daily lives of people. Minister Wang assured China’s fullest support for this initiative and expressed confidence that Sri Lanka will continue its rapid recovery under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka. He also welcomed the people-centric policies of the Government and expressed optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path toward fulfilling aspirations of its people.

Minister Herath expressed appreciation for China’s constructive role in international fora and reiterated Sri Lanka’s firm commitment to the One China Policy and China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both Ministers also recalled the successful high level exchanges in the recent past, including visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to China in 2025.

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