As the world comes together to mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, we shine a light on the remarkable women of Sri Lanka, whose resilience and courage in the face of conflict and inequality continue to inspire us all. This year’s theme,  Accelerate Action, highlights the urgent need to address ongoing challenges and drive meaningful change for women everywhere.

Women and War: A Legacy of Resilience

SLC recently submitted a shadow report for the 90th session of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and attended the review of Sri Lanka in Geneva. Our submission advocated the need for independent investigations into wartime sexual violence, legal reforms to protect women from discrimination and the meaningful inclusion of women in peace efforts. The Committee’s concluding observations in the 9th Periodic Report align closely with these demands. Its report acknowledges the progress made in recent years, such as the Women Empowerment Act (2024), but also recommends that the Sri Lankan government makes the following reforms:

• Strengthen legal protections and improve support for victims of gender-based violence. Allow independent investigative mechanisms for conflict-related abuses.
• Incorporate a comprehensive constitutional definition of discrimination and repeal colonial laws, such as the Vagrants and Brothel Ordinance. The Committee also calls for key amendments to the Penal Code, such as the need to explicitly criminalise marital rape.
• Improve access to justice through legal aid, capacity-building for judicial officials and the abolition (or formal moratorium) of the death penalty with gender-sensitive safeguards.
• Implement measures to enforce equal pay and safe access to healthcare.

The Committee urges Sri Lanka to implement changes across multiple sectors – legal, political, social, economic and cultural – to ensure that all women, particularly those facing compounded disadvantages, can participate equally in society.

In SLC’s shadow report we described how Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war left deep scars, with women bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. As their families were displaced and they lost loved ones, women stepped into new roles–becoming heads of households, primary breadwinners, and community leaders in a fractured, post-war Sri Lanka.^[1] Despite immense challenges, these women have emerged as agents of change, working relentlessly to rebuild their lives and demand justice.

Among the most courageous have been the women-headed families of the disappeared. In the immediate aftermath of the war, these women set up roadside protest camps in the Northern and Eastern provinces, refusing to be silenced despite constant surveillance and harassment. Many of their loved ones were last seen surrendering to the Sri Lankan military in 2009, yet their whereabouts remain unknown to this day. These women have withstood relentless pressure, including smear campaigns, threats, and arbitrary arrests, but they continue to demand answers. Their struggle has not only exposed the state’s failure to investigate enforced disappearances but also highlighted the broader issue of militarisation and impunity in post-war Sri Lanka.

The CEDAW Committee has acknowledged the ongoing plight of the women-headed families of the disappeared, urging the Sri Lankan government to establish an independent investigative body and to provide long-overdue reparations. Yet, successive governments have failed to act. Many of these women have grown old waiting for justice, their demands met with political indifference. Still, their resilience remains unbroken. Their relentless protests have kept Sri Lanka’s human rights record in the international spotlight, ensuring that enforced disappearances cannot be ignored.

The war left an estimated 90,000 widows in its wake.^[2] Crucially, these figures exclude the high proportion of war widows whose husbands remain missing.^[3] War widows in all communities face difficult challenges. For many in the conflict-affected Northern Province, caste and gender stereotypes limit labour options and land ownership is consistently withheld from women. Many widows lost vital land ownership documents during the war and without death certificates for their missing husbands,^[4] reclaiming these rights becomes even harder. Widows of Sri Lankan military servicemen are entitled to widows’ pensions but also encounter livelihood constraints, as in-laws can demand to have this pension transferred to them instead. Widowhood itself carries stigma in  Sri Lanka, with many viewing widows as a ‘bad omen’, deepening their isolation.^[5]

Sexual and gender-based violence has been exacerbated by the ongoing militarisation. Women in conflict-affected regions are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, with justice often elusive. Transitional justice efforts have largely ignored the gendered harms women endured. As the Committee concluded, calls for gender-transformative justice—addressing both past abuses and structural inequalities—remain largely ignored. Yet, Sri Lankan women continue to demand accountability, truth and a seat at the table in shaping their future.

Profiles of Courage: Sri Lankan Women Leading Change

In the face of adversity, numerous Sri Lankan women have emerged as leaders. Their stories are  powerful reminders of the courage it takes to pursue justice and equality. Whilst we urge the Sri Lankan government to implement the reforms recommended by the CEDAW Committee, it is equally important to recognise the relentless efforts of the women who brought critical data and case studies to the Committee’s attention and those who have dedicated their lives to driving change. These women are addressing the urgent needs of particularly marginalised groups, such as rural women, women migrant workers, female ex-combatants, war widows, women with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Their work ensures that no women are left behind and that equality can become a reality for all.

Here are just a few inspiring examples of these women-led organisations and movements:

Women’s Action Network (WAN)

Founded as a women’s collective in 2010 by activist Shreen Abdul Saroor and her colleagues, Women’s Action Network (WAN) emerged as a response to the devastation of Sri Lanka’s civil war. Recognising the urgent need to rebuild the women’s movement in a deeply fractured society, WAN works to unite Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese women—communities  that had long operated in isolation from one another—in a shared fight for justice and equality.

WAN addresses domestic violence, war-related injustices, forced displacement and structural discrimination while advocating for policy reforms both nationally and internationally. The movement has been instrumental in challenging discriminatory laws, such as Sri Lanka’s Muslim Personal Law and the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and campaigning with victims to secure funding from the government for war-injured women and women with disabilities. Beyond local and international advocacy, WAN focuses on nurturing  the next generation of women leaders, particularly survivors, equipping them to speak up for their own rights. 

Suriya Women’s Development Centre

Suriya Women’s Development Centre was established in response to the large-scale displacement of families from the North and East of Sri Lanka in 1990. Starting in welfare centres in Colombo, the organisation responded to the specific needs of displaced women and children, offering mobile health clinics, peace-building workshops and cultural activism as tools of empowerment. When the camps relocated to Batticaloa in 1993, Suriya’s activists made the decision to move with them, continuing their mission of supporting war-affected women. Today, the collective plays a vital role in advocating for women’s rights in the Eastern Province, particularly among Tamil and Muslim communities.

Under the leadership of feminist activist and researcher Sarala Emmanuel, the collective leads programmes including livelihood support for women-headed households, labour rights initiatives for women in the informal economy and collective activism through networks such as the Women’s Coalition for Disaster Management. They also provide legal aid, psychosocial support and advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence, working to reform the legal system and improve services for women. By championing entrepreneurship and amplifying the voices of marginalised women, Suriya Women’s Development Centre continues to lead the way in  feminist activism in Sri Lanka. 

Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG)

The Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) is a voluntary collective of Muslim women—comprising rights advocates, lawyers, researchers and writers—dedicated to reforming discriminatory aspects of Sri Lanka’s Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and improving the Quazi court system. The group fights for justice and equality, working to  ensure women’s rights are protected within both Islamic traditions and Sri Lanka’s legal framework.

Muslim Women’s Research & Advocacy Forum (MWRAF)

Established in 1976, the Muslim Women’s Research & Advocacy Forum (MWRAF) is a Sri Lankan non-governmental organisation committed to empowering women within a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. MWRAF works to improve women’s socio-legal standing, strengthen their economic independence and challenge the societal norms that hinder their progress. The organisation strives to create a greater awareness among Muslim women of their socio-legal status, to empower them to realise their full potential and to promote solidarity among professional women.

EQUAL GROUND

EQUAL GROUND, founded in 2004 by Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, stands as Sri Lanka’s foremost advocate for the rights and inclusion of sexual and gender minorities. Through research, advocacy and outreach, the organisation works to improve access to health, education, housing and legal protection for the LGBTQIA+ community. Their efforts include sensitisation programmes for law enforcement, policymakers and corporate entities, fostering greater understanding and inclusion. A key milestone was their role in the 2023 Supreme Court decision affirming the constitutionality of a bill to decriminalise same-sex relationships, a major step towards legal reform.

EQUAL GROUND also uses  media advocacy, community empowerment and visual storytelling to dismantle stigma. Their extensive repertoire of advocacy documentaries and campaigns, such as “Live with Love” and “Nothing but Pride,” have resonated with audiences locally and internationally. EQUAL GROUND has also played a crucial role in international advocacy, contributing to UN reports and serving on global equality networks. 

Centre for Women & Development (CWD)

Under the steadfast leadership of Saroja Sivachandran, the Centre for Women & Development (CWD) has become a vital force for change in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Founded in 1988, CWD works to amplify the voices of women, particularly war widows, female heads of households, and those displaced by conflict. Saroja’s unwavering commitment has been instrumental in ensuring that these women—so often erased from post-war narratives—are seen, heard, and supported.

CWD’s work spans legal aid, advocacy, and economic empowerment, addressing the urgent need for women to access land rights, livelihood support, and justice for conflict-related violence. Beyond direct support, CWD plays a pivotal role in challenging structural inequalities through policy advocacy, highlighting the intersections of gender, caste, and economic exclusion that shape women’s lives. Through community dialogues, leadership training, and coalition-building with other women’s groups, Saroja has ensured that the fight for justice is not only about individual survival, but about building collective power. Her courage in standing up to systemic injustice, often at great personal risk, continues to inspire countless women across the North and beyond.

Beyond This Day: A Lasting Commitment to Sri Lankan Women

International Women’s Day cannot just be a date on the calendar—a fleeting moment when the world briefly acknowledges the struggles and triumphs of women. For the women of Sri Lanka, especially those living in the shadows of conflict, displacement and discrimination, every single day is a battle for dignity, justice and survival. Honouring them demands more than words. It demands action.

To truly stand with the women of Sri Lanka, we must first amplify their voices—not as victims, but as experts of their own lives. They are the ones who know what justice means for their communities, what safety looks like for their daughters and what economic independence could mean for their futures. Their leadership must be placed at the centre of every conversation about rebuilding their nation.

What can we do?

• Pressure for Inclusive Peace Processes: The silence around Sri Lanka’s post-war reconciliation process has been deafening when it comes to women. International bodies, funders, and activists must demand that women—especially war widows, former combatants and survivors of violence—have a meaningful seat at the table where decisions are made.
• Support Economic Independence: The ability to earn a living free from exploitation is a fundamental form of freedom. Vocational training, access to land, accountable microfinance opportunities and support for female entrepreneurs should no longer be seen as charity but as essential rights.
• Confront and Change Harmful Cultural Norms: It is not enough to provide training or aid if widows are still shunned, survivors still silenced and women’s inheritance rights denied. Cultural change requires working directly with communities, religious leaders and schools to dismantle the stigma and outdated traditions that hold women back.
• Invest in Women’s Legal Empowerment: Whether it’s fighting for reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, securing land rights for war widows, or strengthening protections against domestic violence, legal reform driven by women themselves must be a priority.
• Create Safe Spaces for Healing and Advocacy: Women need spaces to grieve, to rebuild, to share their stories and to strategise for change. This is not only about counselling and support groups, but about nurturing networks of activists and survivors who can build collective power.
• Fund Women-led Organisations Directly: Many of Sri Lanka’s most transformative grassroots initiatives are run by women, for women. International donors must rethink restrictive funding models that side-line smaller, women-led groups and instead prioritise direct, flexible, long-term funding to the women working at the frontlines.
• Challenge Militarisation and State Surveillance of Activists: Women in conflict-affected areas cannot fully reclaim their rights while living under militarised control. International advocacy must include consistent pressure on the Sri Lankan government to demilitarise communities, protect human rights defenders and stop surveillance and intimidation of female activists.
• Support Storytelling as Resistance: The stories of Sri Lankan women—whether they are war widows, displaced mothers, or LGBTQI activists—are powerful tools for change. Platforms should be created for these stories to be heard globally, challenging the narratives that have long erased their voices.

Every action we take—whether it is raising awareness, amplifying a voice, signing a petition, funding a project, or challenging an unjust law—pushes us closer to a world where women live with dignity, freedom, and justice.

Let us not wait for another International Women’s Day to remember their courage. Let us carry their fight forward, every single day.

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*NB- In ‘Profiles of Courage,’ we have chosen to focus on organisations rather than individuals to prioritise safety while recognising the collective power of women. These organisations, led by women from across Sri Lanka’s diverse ethnic, religious, and social groups, work on issues ranging from accountability, gender-based violence and legal reform to economic justice, accountability, and LGBTQIA+ rights. These are just a few examples—many more women and organisations across the island are working tirelessly to create lasting change.

^[1] International Crisis Group (2017) Sri Lanka’s Conflict- Affected Women: Dealing with the Legacy of War https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asia/sri-lanka/289-sri-lankas-conflict-affected-women-dealing-legacy-war

^[2] ICG. 2017. Sri Lanka’s Conflict-Affected Women: Dealing with the Legacy of War. Brussels: International Crisis Group.

^[3] ICG. 2017. Sri Lanka’s Conflict-Affected Women: Dealing with the Legacy of War. Brussels: International Crisis Group.

^[4] De Mel, N., and C. Kodikara. 2018. “The Limits of ‘Doing’ Justice: Compensation as Reparation in Post-War Sri Lanka.” In Contesting Justice in South Asia, eds. Deepak Mehta and Rahul Roy. London: Sage.

^[5] Brounéus, K., Forsberg, E., Höglund, K., & Lonergan, K. (2023). The burden of war widows: gendered consequences of war and peace-building in Sri Lanka. Third World Quarterly, 45(3), 458–474. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2023.2250727