We in Sri Lanka celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March every year and the theme of the United Nations was “Be Bold for Change” and the focus was  on “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030. The idea of this theme is to consider how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda, building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals, especially goal number 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; and number 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.

 The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), which we are a Member Association focused their communication around the Global Gag Rule and the need for contraception, emphasizing that access to contraception (or the lack of it) affects the quality of life and gender equality in general.

In the days leading up to IWD, FPA Sri Lanka launched an online campaign amalgamating both these messages with the participation of staff and National Council Members.  

In addition to this, here are some of the other activities FPA Sri Lanka was involved in.

• Our Executive Director Ms. ThusharaAgus was invited to address the staff and factory employees belonging to Brandix Apparel Solutions (Casualwear) in Ekala on Women's International Day. Some of her key points of her call to action were:

“Why is it important to close the gender gap which is currently 24%. Because no country or the world as a whole, can achieve its other goals as ending poverty, sustainable economic growth and reduce inequality between countries without closing this gap. How can we do this without women when they constitute over 50% of the world’s nearly 8 billion population. On the other hand if the untapped potential of women worldwide is not harnessed, it is to the detriment of country, which opts to do so”

“Women constitute only 30% of working population and has very low representation in decision making positions. In our parliament only 5.7% of members are women. This is a paradox. We can only address this through policies that break the glass ceiling, inviting women to policy making bodies and ensuring that women’s participation is leveraged for the improvement of the economic, political and social activity of this country.”

• Ms. Madu Dissanayake, Director - Public Affairs, Policy and Advocacy delivered the keynote address on “How women are affected by time, poverty and systemic and individual ways to mitigate it to improve quality of life of women” at the National ceremony to mark IWD organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.The event was held at the Sanath Jayasooriya Stadium, Matara.
• Ms. Madu Dissanayake, delivered the keynote speech at the inaugural ceremony to mark IWD organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. The event was held at the Sanath Jayasooriya Stadium, Matara. 

Hon. Ministers and MPs representing the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus with Minister for Law & Order, Mr Sagala Ratnayake and Chief Minister for Southern Province, Mr Rasaputhra presenting awards to successful women entrepreneurs.  

• She also was a member of the Panel Discussion on Women and Human Rights that was organised by the British Council Sri Lanka at the Orion City Building. 

Ms. Madusha Dissanayake (Director Public Affairs, Policy and Advocacy) and Dr. HarishchandraYakandawala ( Director Medical) were featured on Nuga Sevana programme on National television talking of FPA Sri Lanka's mission of providing Sexual & Reproductive Health as a right for all and how our work promotes gender equality, youth empowerment and prevents Sexual & Gender Based Violence as part of the IWD2017.

Ms Dissanayake was also on a live television discussion with Dr Subhangi Herath of Colombo University and Dr Harini Amarasooriya of the Open University on the role of women and issues related with achieving equality in all spaces and systems as part of commemorating the International Women's Day 2017, on Rupavahini (National Television), on the 8th of March.

• FPA Sri Lanka partnered to develop the ADA Newspaper supplement “BSmart” with Vijaya Newspapers  and   themed it as My Body, My Rights, My Choice  as part of IWD2017 activities. 

This Daily paper has a readership of more than 250,000 with a circulation of 120,000 papers. This supplement mainly focused on key areas covered by CSE to highlight the importance of making it available in schools and out of school. It carried articles and messages from Hon. Chandrani Bandara, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Hon. Bimal Rathnayake , member of the Parliament from the opposition JVP Party, Mrs. Swarna Sumanasekara (Chairperson, National Committee on Women), Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa,(‎Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law University of Colombo), Dr. Sisira Liyanage (Director National STD/AIDS Control Programme), Dr. Kapila Ranasinghe (Consultant Psychiatrist), Ms Thushara Agus,(Executive Director), Ms. Madusha Dissanayake (Director Public Affairs, Policy and Advocacy) and Dr. Harishchandra Yakandawala ( Director Medical) and several other information related to topics on SRH, SGBV, Sexual Harassment at work etc. 

On 1st of March - National Committee on Women (NCW) of Sri Lanka conducted a Women’s March across the island. FPA Sri Lanka partnered to develop a leaflet as an educational material on Rights of women within health, education, economy, political, technology, socio-cultural & environmental spheres.  The March in Colombo was inaugurated by the chief guest Prof Maithree Wickramasinghe, wife of Hon. Prime Minister, Hon. Minister of Child and Women’s Affairs Ms. Chandrani Bandara and Hon. Minister for Foreign Employment Ms. Thalatha Athukorala also gave the leadership to the March. UNFPA Sri Lanka and several other organizations partnered and supported the event.

On 7th March  - FPA Sri Lanka organized a live radio programme on Commercial Service of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Cooperation. Deputy Minister Dr Sudharshini Fernandopulle, Dr Harischandra Yakandawala and Ms Madu Dissanayake took part in the discussion covering political, social and health aspects in relation to achieving equality for women in Sri Lankan Society.

• Our Nuwaraeliya Suwa sewa center together with the District Secretary’s office (GA) , Divisional Secretariat Nuwaraeliya, Nuwara-Eliya Eksathlanka Nuwara - Eliya and UN habitat Nuwara-Eliya office organsied an event that dealt with the topic “ Happy Family – How to improve the quality of life of a woman and in turn her immediate family and community. ”. More than 200 community members and media personnel participated. Speakers were Ms. SaraswathySivakuru (member of central province) Mrs. U.W.R.U.Amarasekara, the Additional District Secretary, Senior Superintendent of Police and several government officers. FPA Sri Lanka Suwa Sewa Center manager Mr. P.Sivakumar conducted a counselling session regarding the Happy Family concept to end proceedings.