National Care Policy essential to achieve fair society that values women s labour and care economy – PM

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has emphasized the importance of creating a National Care Policy to foster a just society that appreciates women's work and the care economy. She made these comments in Parliament on March 5th, while discussing a proposal from the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus aimed at developing such a policy, as reported by the Prime Minister’s Media Division. During her speech, the Prime Minister expressed her happiness to address this proposal on International Women’s Day. She reflected on her first speech in Parliament six years ago, when she talked about the care economy, noting that there were only a handful of female Members at that time. She pointed out that discussing this issue was quite new back then. Now, six years later, she is pleased to see a stronger group of advocates within and outside of Parliament, which shows how the conversation has grown. She highlighted that the discussions have advanced to the point where meaningful proposals for a national policy can be made, indicating an improvement in public discourse and parliamentary discussions. The Prime Minister acknowledged the increased representation of women in various sectors, including leadership roles in local government, community organizations, public service, and education. She stressed the need to engage in important discussions about women's roles and the barriers they face. To promote women’s active participation, she stated that it is vital to recognize women as equal citizens and work to eliminate obstacles that hinder their freedom and choices in public life. As attention on women in politics grows, she also pointed out the necessity of ensuring that media and social media environments protect women’s dignity and safety, allowing them to participate in society, politics, and culture without fear. This should involve more than just legal measures; it requires broader social change. Dr. Harini concluded by saying that in this social transformation, women must achieve justice and fairness. She envisions a society where all citizens can participate equally, with dignity, security, and equal opportunities.