Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has called for the appointed of a Select Committee to look into and report to the Parliament its recommendations to ensure gender equity and equality with special emphasis on looking into gender-based discriminations and violations of women’s rights in Sri Lanka.

The Caucus, chaired by State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, had made the request in writing to Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The Caucus has suggested that the Committee and its Chair should be appointed by the Speaker.

In addition, the composition of the proposed Committee should consist of not more than 25 Members, they stressed.

The report of the Committee is required to be presented to Parliament within a period of one year from the first meeting of the committee and once tabled in Parliament it is expected to be referred to the Minister in charge of the relevant subject to submit their observations and steps taken governing the particulars within a period of eight weeks after being tabled.

The Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said that this notice of motion was included in to the addendum to the Order Book No. 03 of Parliament.

Apart from the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus chair State Minister Sudarshini Fernandopulle, the notice of motion has also been signed by Minister Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi, State Minister Dr. Seetha Arambepola, MPs Harini Amarasuriya, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Thalatha Atukorale, Geetha Kumarasinghe, Kokila Gunawardena, Muditha Prashanthi, Rajika Wickramasinghe, Manjula Dissanayake and Diana Gamage.