Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has praised China’s strong commitment and global leadership in promoting women’s rights and gender equality, highlighting its efforts through initiatives such as the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua at the Sri Lankan Parliament ahead of her visit to Beijing for the summit, the Prime Minister said the event will boost global confidence in advancing women’s development.
“Beijing hosted an extremely important summit on women’s development and gender equality 30 years ago. What was discussed then still holds true today,” Amarasuriya said, calling it “significant” that China is once again hosting a women-focused summit after three decades.
She emphasized the importance of ensuring that women’s issues remain central to all aspects of development. “It’s really important that we remind the world of the importance of considering women’s perspectives in every area of progress,” she added.
The Prime Minister pointed out that unequal access to economic opportunities remains one of the major barriers to women’s advancement. In many developing nations, women continue to face low wages, informal employment, and limited social protection, which contribute to the undervaluation of their work and potential.
“This situation limits women’s ability to participate as full citizens,” Amarasuriya said. “To bring about genuine change, we must implement structural reforms that expand women’s access to education, healthcare, and the economy, while ensuring their meaningful participation in decision-making.”
Commending China’s progress, she said Chinese women today are more confident, independent, and active in public life, which has led to greater personal and social freedom. “China’s political and economic systems have allowed it to tackle systemic inequalities and reduce marginalization,” she observed.
“China has made real advances in empowering women economically and continues to take a global leadership role on gender equality,” Amarasuriya said.
The Prime Minister also expressed optimism about Sri Lanka–China cooperation in advancing women’s empowerment. “There are strong female leaders in China, and Sri Lanka now has a record number of women in Parliament,” she noted. “On issues such as education and health, which directly affect women and children, there is great potential for collaboration.”
Amarasuriya expressed gratitude to China for its ongoing assistance, including the provision of school uniform fabric to Sri Lanka, calling it a “tremendous gift from the Chinese people.”
Looking ahead to the summit, the Prime Minister said she was eager to participate in her first global meeting focused on women, adding that sharing experiences with female leaders worldwide would be deeply meaningful.
“I believe this summit will help us reflect on the progress of the last 30 years and chart the way forward,” she said. “We hope to send a clear message that women must continue to be counted and prioritized in our political and development agendas.”
