Grace Asirwatham appointed Chairperson of National Commission on Women

Tuesday, 2 June 2026 07:33 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Grace Asirwatham

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, has appointed retired Ambassador Grace Asirwatham as the Chairperson of the National Commission on Women.

The Commission was established under the Women Empowerment Act, No. 37 of 2024, which provides the legal framework for the promotion, protection, and advancement of women’s rights in Sri Lanka.

The Act mandates the Commission to promote and safeguard women’s rights and gender equality, including investigating alleged infringements or imminent infringements of such rights.

Since its formal establishment in September 2025, the National Commission on Women has been engaged in its operationalisation process. This includes developing its institutional framework and administrative and procedural systems, and establishing the human resources, physical, and digital infrastructure and operational tools required for its effective functioning.

Asirwatham brings extensive diplomatic and international experience to the role. She has served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Nepal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg and as Head of Mission to the EU. She also served as Deputy Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), where she was engaged in multilateral diplomacy as an international civil servant.

The Chairperson is joined by Commission Members Shreen Saroor, Janaha Selvaras, Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, Dr. Padma Gunaratne, Dr. Kalana Senaratne, and M.U. Gayani, together with Executive Director K.D.R. Olga.