COLOMBOA special discussion was held between two representatives of KAS (Konrad Adenauer Stiftung) and representatives of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus on the activities of the Asian Women Parliamentarians Caucus and the program for young politicians to be held in Sri Lanka in August.
The discussion was held in Parliament on 14.05.2025 under the patronage of the Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs Mrs. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, who is the Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus, and the Hon. Minister joined the discussion online. Representing the KAS (Konrad Adenauer Stiftung), Mr. Mortiz Matthias Fink, Deputy Director of the institution, and Ms. Megha Sharma, Program Manager of the institution, were present the discussion.
Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the Caucus, Hon. Minister Saroja Savitri Paulraj, said that it was a special opportunity for the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus of Sri Lanka to hold the Annual Meeting of the Asian Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Sri Lanka in October 2023, under the leadership of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus of Sri Lanka, in association with KAS. She said that she would like to express her special gratitude to KAS for its generous support. She further said that there are 22 women members of the current Parliament, and 20 of them, including herself, are new members representing Parliament for the first time. Therefore, she appreciated the support received from the Asian Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and KAS to exchange new knowledge.
Also speaking at the event, KAS Deputy Director Mr. Mortiz Matthias Fink said that he hopes that the program to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in August will be a more successful program.
Also at the event, KAS Program Manager Ms. Megha Sharma said that she appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in the Tenth Parliament, just as she collaborated with the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in the Ninth Parliament. She also said that she will invite the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus of Sri Lanka for the upcoming program of the Annual Meeting of the Asian Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to be held in Mongolia.
Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Kaushalya Ariyaratne, while speaking at the meeting, said that she joined the first meeting of the Asian Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus this year online and that a discussion was held online on gender-based violence and strategic methods to mitigate it.
Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Kaushalya Ariyaratne attended the meeting and Hon. Members of Parliament Attorney at Law Sagarika Athauda, Oshani Umanga, Krishnan Kalaichelvi, Attorney at Law Thushari Jayasinghe and Attorney at Law Hiruni Wijesinghe joined online.
