Negombo, Sri Lanka – April 4, 2025:
The National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) commemorated International Women’s Day 2025 with a powerful celebration held at the Rukmani Devi Cultural Centre in Negombo. The event, initially inaugurated on March 4th, was a joint initiative led by Mr. Herman Kumara, General Secretary of the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), and brought together a diverse coalition of civil society organizations, women’s rights advocates, trade unions, and government representatives.
The program drew the participation of over 550 women leaders and men from 17 districts where NAFSO maintains grassroots networks. The highlight of the event was the presentation of a policy briefing on fisher women’s issues, crafted by NAFSO’s Policy Studies Unit. This document aims to advance the rights and recognition of fisherwomen in Sri Lanka’s national development agenda.
Dr. Namal Sudarshan, the Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. During the event, Priyanka Costa, Coordinator of the Praja Abilasha Network, introduced a newly drafted guiding book titled “Aharin Sapiri Purawarak”((A City with Plenty of Food)) . The publication focuses on promoting self-sufficient food production units, under the broader framework of #FoodSovereignty, developed by the Praja Abilasha Network under NAFSO.
In her keynote, Ms. Deepa Suba Shini, National Women Coordinator of NAFSO, stated:
“We, the National Women Federation, expect to have a continued dialogue with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the National Women’s Bureau on the policy document we submitted, along with the #CEDAW parallel report presented by the COSO Collective.”
The event served not only as a platform for advocacy and policy engagement but also as a celebration of the strength, resilience, and leadership of women from fishing and farming communities across Sri Lanka.