Message for International Women’s Day 2026; Saroja Savithri Paulraj- Minister of Women and Child Affairs
- Editor
- March 8, 2026
- Current Issues, English Header
- current issues
- 0 Comments
It is with great pleasure that I extend my greetings on the occasion of International Women’s Day, a day that celebrates women across the world.
On this day, when International Women’s Day is commemorated under the theme “Rights, Justice, Action for All Women and Girls,” it is important that we make an effort to look at the hundreds of thousands of women in our country from a renewed perspective.
In the past, we belonged to a society where suitability and capability were often determined based on gender roles. However, at this moment, we have taken many positive steps toward building a society where being a woman is no longer questioned when opportunities arise.
Today, the growing presence of women in sectors such as transport and mobility, the tourism and hospitality industry, and manufacturing and supply chains demonstrates that societal perspectives have expanded far beyond traditional boundaries.
Nevertheless, many women we encounter in our daily lives, whether they are entrepreneurs, service providers, professionals in the public or private sectors, or migrant workers employed overseas, often end their day engaged in unpaid care work at home, labor that is neither financially valued nor adequately recognized.
Therefore, we consider it our responsibility to ensure that this care work performed by women receives proper recognition and value and that women are not confined merely to the role of carrying the burdens of the family but are acknowledged as active partners in the nation’s economy. For this very reason, the national theme this year has been selected as “In a thriving nation she leads with determination.”
We believe that by building a society where women receive the respect they deserve, they will also be able to exercise equal rights in decision making processes. We remain committed to removing policy and structural barriers that stand in their way and to opening new pathways that allow women to move forward and conquer the world. Within the government’s manifesto “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life,” development is defined not merely as improving economic indicators but as ensuring that every citizen enjoys a dignified life.
As a government, we are dedicated to building a proud Sri Lankan woman without dividing her as rural or urban.
At a time when love, compassion, and mutual respect are global necessities, let us as Sri Lankan citizens embrace the noble vision that women are human beings too within our hearts and transform that belief into action.Let us make International Women’s Day 2026 an opportunity to reaffirm this commitment.
Victory to women!
Saroja Savithri Paulraj- Minister of Women and Child Affairs
08 March 2026
