Breaking the silence, bridging the gap

Commemorating International Women’s Day 2025, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka brought together over 200 stakeholders from across the justice sector, under the theme ‘Progressing from Representation to Transformative Gender Empowerment.’ The event highlighted the urgent need to move beyond symbolic inclusion and drive meaningful, systemic changes in policies, institutions, and societal norms.

The event was attended by Ayesha Jinasena, PC, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and Former Solicitor General, Linda Ehrichs, Head of Cooperation and Counsellor (Development), High Commission of Canada, Malin Herwig, Officer-In-Charge, UNDP Sri Lanka; Prof. Dinesha Samararatne, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo and Member of the Constitutional Council Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe, Judge of the Supreme Court, Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, former Under-Secretary General of the UN and Special Representative for Violence Against Women; and judges, representatives from Police, academic institutions and justice sector institutions, members of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, civil society representatives and the private sector.

This event is anchored under the ongoing project titled ‘Ensuring Justice for Victim-survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka’ with the generous support of the Government of Canada and implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government of Sri Lanka. This marks a significant step in addressing gender disparities in Sri Lanka, particularly in the wake of multiple converging crises.

Justice Ministry secretary Ayesha Jinasena PC said: “To achieve transformative gender empowerment, we must go beyond representation and actively reform our systems and institutions. This requires not only changes in laws and policies but also shifts in social structures. Legal obstacles must be identified, addressed, and removed, while gender-specific laws must be established to ensure true equality and empowerment for women.”

Drawing on global best practices, Sri Lanka has the opportunity to adopt innovative legal frameworks, including dedicated gender-based violence courts and survivor-centered procedural reforms, to enhance accessibility, accountability, and protection within the justice system. A people-centered approach is essential, ensuring that legal transformation extends beyond the formal judiciary to engage both state and non-state actors in building a justice ecosystem that effectively addresses the needs of all individuals, particularly those most vulnerable.

Officer-In-Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka Malin Herwig said: “UNDP’s widespread projects on the ground demonstrate how women and girls have been disproportionately impacted by violence, as a result of converging and cascading crises. We have witnessed first-hand how women experience cyclical and pervasive challenges when seeking justice and our initiatives to ensure justice for victim-survivors of SGBV, therefore, are extremely timely. This gathering today, is a true testament to how a strong collective of allies and champions can break the silence and bridge the gap. We at UNDP, through continued partnerships with gender advocates like the Sri Lanka Women Judges Association and the Women Parliamentarian’s Caucus, can become a strong catalyst in implementing innovative solutions to enhance women’s access to justice. Such collaborative interventions are imperative to sustain and move the needle on gender empowerment.”

Head of Cooperation at the High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka, Linda Ehrichs said “we support the initiative ‘Ensuring Justice for Victim-survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka’ because of the impact it can have for women and girls who find themselves in the most vulnerable situation of their lives – as victims of violence and abuse. Our local partners in Sri Lanka told us that an initiative focused on the justice system’s treatment of SGBV cases would be the most effective way to make a difference. This project aims to strengthen capacities and responsiveness of the justice system, of victim support services, and of local organizations including those running shelters. With this holistic approach, we hope to bring lasting changes in access to justice, and ultimately prevent crimes of SGBV against women, girls, and gender minorities.”

As part of the event, the keynote speech was delivered by Prof. Dinesha Samararatne, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, and Member of the Constitutional Council of Sri Lanka, on ‘Is the gender equality paradox in the justice sector an obstacle to achieving inclusive equality in Sri Lanka?’. A panel discussion on ‘Progressing from Representation to Transformative Gender Empowerment’ also took place, moderated by Lihini Ratwatte, Gender Specialist at UNDP. Anuruddhi Edirisinghe, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Kelaniya; DIG Renuka Jayasundara of the Bureau for the Prevention of Abuse of Women and Children; Shiranthi Gunawardena, Senior Instructing Attorney-at-Law and President of the Sri Lanka Women Lawyers’ Association; and Aritha Wickramasinghe, Lawyer and Equality Director at Iprobono were a part of the engaging panel discussion that brought together ideas from the judiciary, law enforcement, forensic medicine, and legal advocacy experts to examine the systemic barriers to gender equality and the steps needed to drive meaningful change.

Emphasizing the importance of gender-sensitive legal frameworks, Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe said: “A truly gender-responsive justice system must first be gender-inclusive, ensuring that institutional structures, policies, and practices reflect and uphold the principles of equality and fairness. By leading this transformation within the judiciary, we can drive broader societal change, strengthening the foundations of justice and equity for all.”

As the world commemorates International Women’s Day 2025, there is an urgent call to move beyond representation and advance transformative empowerment for women, girls, and gender minorities. Justice delayed is justice denied, and the time for action is now.