Dr Nina Puri from India, who is an icon in the field of SRHR, visited FPA Sri Lanka to meet with National Council Members and the Senior Management Team last month. She has been deeply involved in the field of honorary social work for five decades, mainly focused on the girl child, women and child development, and a ‘rights-based’ approach to population stabilization and family planning. As President of the Family Planning Association of India and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), she has presented several papers at national and international seminars and conferences, as also frequently addressed the media on issues of health and family welfare.

In her welcome speech, FPA Sri Lanka Executive Director Mrs Thushara Agus said “Dr Puri was an activist when there was no rights movement, but a mere family planning agenda to protect women from perils of repeated pregnancies.  Thanks to the efforts of a handful of brave and angry women like her, a global movement on women’s health was born.  Today we enjoy our health and rights better having various different initiatives to improve the situation under this broad umbrella of SRHR, whose origins lie in the movement which was born in Mumbai in 1952”.

Dr Puri is a friend, supporter and well-wisher of FPA Sri Lanka and her association with our organization goes back many decades earning many solid friends and admirers from our country. Despite it being an unofficial visit, FPA Sri Lanka was honoured to have hosted her and her family at our headquarters.