Business
Govt urged to mobilise the economic power of women for betterment of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan women ‘experiencing’ discrimination and disadvantages in achieving economic empowerment
Shortage of female participation ‘proving to be’ detrimental to Sri Lanka’s economic growth
Legislative reforms and mindset shifts urged to reduce barriers to women’s success in careers and enterprise
by Sanath Nanayakkare
Dr. Roshan Perera (Chairperson, Women’s Policy Action Network), Shyamali Ranaraja (Attorney – at- law) and Gayani de Alwis (1st Vice Chairperson, Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce), last week explained to the media about the urgency of legislative reforms and societal mindset shifts to reduce barriers to women’s economic empowerment in Sri Lanka.
It was encouraging to see that these three women who have had every opportunity and blessing in their own life wanting the same for all Sri Lankan women.They were speaking at this media event co-hosted by the The Advocata Institute and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on July 11 at the BMICH Colombo.
The event was titled “Unlocking Potential: Policies for Women’s Economic Empowerment”.
Dr. Perera outlined the establishment and objectives of the Women’s Policy Advocacy Network (WPAN). Emphasising the necessity for collective advocacy, she highlighted WPAN’s focus on six critical areas: land laws, labour laws, informal sector recognition, social infrastructure, women’s participation in the digital economy and financial inclusion which is elusive for women entrepreneurs.
“Although there are many agencies working in this space we felt it was necessary to bring all these efforts together to amplify the voice for change in this area ,” said Dr. Perera.
Shyamali Ranaraja addressed the precarious nature of employment for women, highlighting societal disincentives that hinder their return to the workforce post-childbirth and marriage. She pointed out that current legislation creates significant barriers for women re-entering the labour force, with another critical juncture occurring around age 50, coinciding with eligibility for EPF payments.
She emphasised the precariousness of available work for women, noting that domestic work was excluded from the 2016 minimum wage law, underscoring the need for formal recognition and enhanced protections for domestic workers. “If Sri Lanka itself does not provide women with basic pay for domestic work,” she questioned, “how can we ask other countries to pay expat domestic workers equally?”
“Saying women should be able to work at night without providing infrastructure for a solution is pointless”, she said. She suggested that simple legislative amendments could spur change. She proposed “New condominium developments should have child centres by law, which will have no bearing on state finances. Such a move will make a huge difference for women’s empowerment.”
“The Gender-Equality bill was written to fail – the legal terminology was not appropriate,” Ms. Ranaraja pointed out. She also highlighted that the few female representatives in government, despite representing an electorate that is more than 50 percent female, are publicly ridiculed and harassed by fellow male politicians in front of the entire nation. “The burden of implementing solutions must primarily rest on the state,” Ms. Ranaraja emphasised, connecting her advocacy for systemic changes in social infrastructure to broader societal and legislative reforms. This holistic approach, she suggested, is crucial to creating an environment where women can fully participate in and bene t from the workforce, addressing disparities and ensuring equitable opportunities across Sri Lanka.
Ms. de Alwis emphasised the critical role of mindset change in empowering women economically. “Laws are good, but how do we truly change the minds of people at a grassroots level?” asked Ms. de Alwis. She pointed out the challenges women face in accessing nance and the discouraging environment in nancial institutions. Sri Lanka’s ranking of 122 out of 146 countries in gender equality re ects signi cant disparities across economic participation, education, health outcomes, and political empowerment, as measured by the Global Gender Gap Index. “Awareness is key, ” Ms. de Alwis asserted. She called for increased support for female entrepreneurs and urged the inclusion of gender equality discussions at all levels of education to dismantle misogynistic viewpoints. “The issue of mindset change must be discussed at all levels,” she stressed, particularly at a school age level to remove ingrained stereotypes.
To catalyze bilateral trade and investment and drive regional economic integration, the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai facilitated a series of high-level strategic engagements between The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and leading Indian commercial institutions on May 13 and 14.
The delegation from The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was led by its Chairman Krishan Balendra, CEO of John Keells Holdings Pvt Ltd and comprised a distinguished group of Sri Lankan industry leaders from Hirdaramani Group, Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd, Sierra Cables PLC, A. Baur & Co. (Pvt) Ltd, Jetwing Travels (Pvt) Ltd, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, Hayleys PLC, Vidullanka PLC, MAS India Clothing (Pvt) Ltd, Tudawe Brothers (Pvt) Ltd, David Pieris Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, Bank of Ceylon, Aitken Spence PLC, LTL Holdings Ltd. and Orel IT Pvt. Ltd.
On May 13, The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce jointly hosted the ‘India–Sri Lanka Business Forum: Partnering in Sri Lanka’s Growth and Investment’ and an exclusive CEO interaction in Mumbai. The forum convened senior government officials, policymakers, and industry leaders from both countries.
These included, among others, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Mahishini Colonne; Consul General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai Priyanga Wickramasinghe; Senior Economic Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka Duminda Hulangamuwa; Secretary (Protocol, FDI, Diaspora & Outreach) and Chief of Protocol Government of Maharashtra Rajesh Ravindra Gawande; Co-chairman, CII Western Region Sub-committee on International Trade & Investment and Chief Executive Officer, Polycab India Ltd. Anurag Agarwal; Chairman, CII Western Region Sub-Committee on Tourism and Hospitality and Executive Director, Kamat Hotels India Ltd Vishal Kamat and Secretary General & CEO of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Shiran Fernando.
Conversations centered on accelerating cross-border cooperation across high-priority sectors, including technology, manufacturing, healthcare, renewable energy, and digital transformation.
On May 14, the delegation engaged in productive Business-to-Business sessions with the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, culminating in the formal renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and IMC. The delegation also participated in an interactive session hosted by the World Trade Center (WTC) Mumbai and the All India Association of Industries (AIAI).
The two-day mission concluded with a robust exchange of views cementing a strong foundation for sustained bilateral collaboration and paving the way for a new era of industrial synergy between Colombo and Mumbai. (Consulate General of SL, Mumbai)
Demonstrating its commitment to supporting the nation’s next phase of economic transformation, Commercial Bank of Ceylon has become one of the first banks in Sri Lanka to enter into an agreement to establish a fully-fledged branch at Port City Colombo, marking a significant step in the Bank’s strategic expansion into the country’s emerging international financial hub.
The agreement was signed by Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank, and Xiong Hongfeng, Managing Director of CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd. The partnership further reinforces Commercial Bank’s position at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s evolving financial landscape.
The proposed branch will function as a fully-fledged banking branch, offering a full spectrum of products and services tailored to the needs of corporates, investors, businesses and retail customers operating within the Port City Colombo ecosystem. These will include digital banking facilities, trade services, foreign currency transactions, corporate banking solutions, deposits, lending, card services and remittance facilities.
By establishing a presence within Port City Colombo, the Bank said it aims to further strengthen its ability to support cross-border business and investment flows while positioning itself to meet the sophisticated requirements of global investors, multinational corporates and high-net-worth individuals expected to operate within the Special Economic Zone.
Commenting on this ground breaking initiative, Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank said the Bank’s decision to establish a fully-fledged branch within Port City Colombo reflects both its long-term confidence in the project and its readiness to support the evolving needs of a globally integrated financial ecosystem.
“As Sri Lanka’s largest private sector bank with a strong track record in serving corporates, international clients and high-value businesses, we see Port City Colombo as a pivotal development in the country’s economic future,” he said. “Our presence within this Special Economic Zone will enable us to seamlessly support cross-border transactions, facilitate international trade and investment, and deliver world-class banking solutions backed by advanced digital capabilities. Being one of the first banks to formalise plans for a full-service branch within Port City Colombo reaffirms our role as a pioneer in driving financial innovation and supporting national development.”
A 269-hectare extension of Sri Lanka’s central business district, Port City Colombo is being developed as a multi-service Special Economic Zone designed to serve as a regional financial centre, business and lifestyle hub. One of the largest public-private partnership projects in the country, it is envisioned as a catalyst for high-value investments, underpinned by advanced infrastructure, cutting-edge technology and a progressive regulatory framework.
“Our role as master developer goes beyond building the city itself. It is about creating the foundations for a functioning international business and financial hub,” said Mr Xiong Hongfeng, Managing Director of CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd. “The establishment of institutions such as Commercial Bank within Port City Colombo is an important part of that process, because it brings real operational depth and credibility into the ecosystem from an early stage. It reflects the broader momentum behind the project and the growing shift towards a more globally connected, investment-driven economy in Sri Lanka.”
Sri Lanka’s renowned specialty tea brand “Singharaja Wiry Tips,” produced by Lumbini Tea Valley Ceylon, has won two major accolades at the prestigious “The Leafies International Tea Awards” held recently at Fortnum and Mason in the United Kingdom.
The award-winning low-grown Ceylon tea secured the titles of “Best Ceylon Black Tea” and the overall “Best of All Black Teas,” emerging as the top black tea entered at the international competition.
With these latest honours, “Singharaja Wiry Tips” has now earned its 43rd and 44th international awards, further strengthening its reputation as one of the world’s most highly awarded black teas.
Classified as FBOPF EX SP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings Extra Special), the tea is named after its distinctive golden-tipped wiry leaves and unique flavour profile derived from the ecosystem surrounding the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Singharaja Rainforest, which borders the Lumbini plantation.
Lumbini Tea Valley’s latest innovation, “Lumbini Screw Buds,” also received high commendation at this year’s competition, highlighting the company’s continued excellence in producing premium Ceylon teas.
Chairman and Managing Director Chaminda Jayawardena, who accepted the awards in London, credited the achievement to the dedication of the Lumbini workforce and the support of nearly 1,800 tea farmers supplying high-quality green leaf harvested using the traditional “two leaves and a bud” method.
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