Courtesy Hiru News

At the Women’s Forum titled ‘A programme for Progress’ held at the Galle Face Hotel yesterday (13), President Ranil Wickremesinghe presented a transformative vision for Sri Lanka’s future. His focus was on modernizing the economy, empowering women, and implementing social justice reforms. He emphasized moving beyond outdated political systems and embracing an export-driven, digital, and green economy. In addition, he addressed key social issues such as gender equality and overcoming class and caste biases.

President Wickremesinghe’s remarks come at a critical time as Sri Lanka recovers from economic and political crises exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking to entrepreneurs and small business owners, he laid out a framework for significant changes, focusing on women’s empowerment and social justice, while urging public support for his initiatives, symbolized by the gas cylinder in the upcoming vote on September 21.

Addressing the forum, the President said:
It’s an interesting time, certainly listening to your concerns, which also showed me that many of you are involved in self-employment, as well as in small and medium-sized enterprises. That’s good. Now we have to see how we can encourage you to move forward after resolving the issues that have arisen from the recent economic crisis. COVID-19 itself has been a problem for many people involved in small and medium enterprises, and in our case, it was made worse by the economic crisis. The economic and political crises that followed, due to the inability of any leaders to assume responsibility for governing the country, showed a complete breakdown. We now need to put the social structures back in place.”

President Wickremesinghe also highlighted his commitment to women’s empowerment, starting with the Women’s Empowerment Act and the Gender Equality Bill. He noted the importance of expanding women’s participation in business, management, and various levels of leadership, along with establishing a Social Justice Commission to promote equality across class and caste lines.

State Minister Dr. Seetha Arambepola expressed her support for the President’s leadership, emphasizing the positive changes brought about in the last two years. She noted the success of relief programs like “Aswesuma””” and “Urumaya” and efforts to address violence against women through dedicated police units and female officers.

Former Minister Thalatha Athukorala and other prominent figures, including Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe and Rosy Senanayake, were also present, commending President Wickremesinghe’s long-standing commitment to advancing gender equity in Sri Lanka.