Justice sector comes together to commemorate IWD 2025

Panelists at the event 

Commemorating International Women’s Day 2025, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Sri Lanka brought together over 200 stakeholders from across the justice sector, under the theme ‘Progressing from representation to transformative gender empowerment.’ 

The event highlighted the urgent need to move beyond symbolic inclusion and drive meaningful, systemic change in policies, institutions, and societal norms.

The event was attended by Ministry of Justice Secretary and former Solicitor General of Sri Lanka Ayesha Jinasena, PC, High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka Head of Cooperation and Counsellor (Development) Linda Ehrichs, UNDP Sri Lanka Officer-In-Charge Malin Herwig, University of Colombo Faculty of Law and Constitutional Council of Sri Lanka Member Prof. Dinesha Samararatne, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Judge Hon. Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe, United Nations former Under-Secretary General and Special Representative for Violence Against Women Deshamanya Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, and honourable judges, representatives from the Sri Lanka Police, academic institutions and justice sector institutions, members of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, civil society representatives and the private sector.

This event is anchored under the ongoing project titled ‘Ensuring justice for victim-survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka’ with the generous support of the Government of Canada and implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Government of Sri Lanka. This marks a significant step in addressing gender disparities in Sri Lanka, particularly in the wake of multiple converging crises.

Underscoring the role of the justice system in advancing gender equality, Ayesha Jinasena remarked, “To achieve transformative gender empowerment, we must go beyond representation and actively reform our systems and institutions. This requires not only changes in laws and policies but also shifts in social structures. Legal obstacles must be identified, addressed, and removed, while gender-specific laws must be established to ensure true equality and empowerment for women.”

Drawing on global best practices, Sri Lanka has the opportunity to adopt innovative legal frameworks, including dedicated gender-based violence courts and survivor-centred procedural reforms, to enhance accessibility, accountability, and protection within the justice system. A people-centred approach is essential, ensuring that legal transformation extends beyond the formal judiciary to engage both state and non-state actors in building a justice ecosystem that effectively addresses the needs of all individuals, particularly those most vulnerable.

Speaking at the event, Malin Herwig stated, “UNDP’s widespread projects on the ground demonstrate how women and girls have been disproportionately impacted by violence, as a result of converging and cascading crises. We have witnessed first-hand how women experience cyclical and pervasive challenges when seeking justice and our initiatives to ensure justice for victim-survivors of SGBV, therefore, are extremely timely. This gathering today, is a true testament to how a strong collective of allies and champions can break the silence and bridge the gap. 

“We at UNDP, through continued partnerships with gender advocates like the Sri Lanka Women Judges Association and the Women Parliamentarian’s Caucus, can become a strong catalyst in implementing innovative solutions to enhance women’s access to justice. Such collaborative interventions are imperative to sustain and move the needle on gender empowerment.”

Strengthening the justice sector is not only a legal imperative, but also a necessary step toward building resilience, fostering social stability, and creating an environment where women, girls, and gender minorities can fully participate in economic and social recovery efforts.

Highlighting the Government of Canada’s commitment, Linda Ehrichs said, “We support the initiative ‘Ensuring justice for victim-survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka’ because of the impact it can have for women and girls who find themselves in the most vulnerable situation of their lives – as victims of violence and abuse. Our local partners in Sri Lanka told us that an initiative focused on the justice system’s treatment of SGBV cases would be the most effective way to make a difference. This project aims to strengthen capacities and responsiveness of the justice system, of victim support services, and of local organisations including those running shelters. With this holistic approach, we hope to bring lasting changes in access to justice, and ultimately prevent crimes of SGBV against women, girls, and gender minorities.”

As part of the event, the keynote speech was delivered by Prof. Dinesha Samararatne, on ‘Is the gender equality paradox in the justice sector an obstacle to achieving inclusive equality in Sri Lanka?’. A panel discussion on ‘Progressing from representation to transformative gender empowerment’ also took place, moderated by UNDP Gender Specialist Lihini Ratwatte. University of Kelaniya Department of Forensic Medicine Head Anuruddhi Edirisinghe, Bureau for the Prevention of Abuse of Women and Children DIG Renuka Jayasundara, Senior Instructing Attorney-at-Law and Sri Lanka Women Lawyers’ Association President Shiranthi Gunawardena, and Iprobono Lawyer and Equality Director Aritha Wickramasinghe, were a part of the engaging panel discussion that brought together ideas from the judiciary, law enforcement, forensic medicine, and legal advocacy experts to examine the systemic barriers to gender equality and the steps needed to drive meaningful change.

Emphasising the importance of gender-sensitive legal frameworks, Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe stated, “A truly gender-responsive justice system must first be gender-inclusive, ensuring that institutional structures, policies, and practices reflect and uphold the principles of equality and fairness. By leading this transformation within the judiciary, we can drive broader societal change, strengthening the foundations of justice and equity for all.”

As the world commemorates International Women’s Day 2025, there is an urgent call to move beyond representation and advance transformative empowerment for women, girls, and gender minorities. Justice delayed is justice denied, and the time for action is now.