Women in the Sri Lankan Parliament

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Adeline Molamure Sirimavo Bandaranaike Chandrika Kumaratunga

Women have served in the Parliament of Sri Lanka since 1931 and have been represented in all successive parliaments to date. The first woman representative was Adeline Molamure, elected to the State Council, daughter of J. H. Meedeniya and wife of Alfred Francis Molamure, both State Councillors. 60 women have served in the legislature of Sri Lanka, including 13 who are currently serving, constituting over 5% of all current Members.

Women in Parliament, however small in numbers, have held high positions in Parliament and the cabinet. Two women have become Prime Minister and one has gone on to become the President of Sri Lanka. Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world's first female head of government on 21 July 1960, holding the post for a non-consecutive 17 years. Her daughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga, became Sri Lanka's first modern female head of state and president.[1]

This marked the first time that a female prime minister directly succeeded another female prime minister, and is also the first time that a nation possessed a female prime minister and a female president simultaneously.

The progress of women in Sri Lankan politics, however, has stagnated as expectations are higher for their representation in Parliament.[2]

## Number of women

[edit]

### Number of women in Parliament by House

[edit]

Number of women in the Sri Lankan Parliament (1931–2024):

#  | Legislature  | Years  | in Parliament  | %  | in House  | %  | in Senate  | %

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | Ceylonese State Council | 1931–1936 | 2 | 3.4% | 2 | 3.4% | - | \-
2nd | Ceylonese State Council | 1936–1947 | 1 | 1.7% | 1 | 1.7% | - | \-
3rd | Ceylonese Parliament | 1947–1952 | 1 | ?% | 3 | 2.9% | 4 | ?%
4th | Ceylonese Parliament | 1952–1956 | ? | ?% | 2 | 1.9% | ? | ?%
5th | Ceylonese Parliament | 1956–1959 | ? | ?% | 4 | 3.9% | ? | ?%
6th | Ceylonese Parliament | 1960–1960 | ? | ?% | 3 | 2.9% | ? | ?%
7th | Ceylonese Parliament | 1960–1964 | ? | ?% | 3 | 2.9% | ? | ?%
8th | Ceylonese Parliament | 1965–1970 | ? | ?% | 6 | 5.9% | ? | ?%
9th | Ceylonese Parliament | 1970–1972 | ? | ?% | 6 | 3.8% | ? | ?%
10th | National State Assembly | 1972–1977 | 6 | 3.6% | 6 | 3.6% | - | \-
11th | National State Assembly | 1977–1978 | 11 | 6.5% | 11 | 6.5% | - | \-
12th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 1978–1988 | 11 | 4.8% | 11 | 4.8% | - | \-
13th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 1989–1994 | 13 | 5.7% | 13 | 5.7% | - | \-
14th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 1994–2000 | 12 | 5.3% | 12 | 5.3% | - | \-
15th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 2000–2001 | 9 | 4% | 9 | 4% | - | \-
16th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 2001–2004 | 10 | 4.4% | 10 | 4.4% | - | \-
17th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 2004–2010 | 13 | 5.7% | 13 | 5.7% | - | \-
18th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 2010–2015 | 13 | 5.7% | 13 | 5.7% | - | \-
19th | Sri Lankan Parliament | 2015–2020 | 13 | 5.7% | 13 | 5.7% | - | \-
20th  | Sri Lankan Parliament | 2020–2024  | 12  | 5.3%  | 12  | 5.3%  | \-  | \-
21st  | Sri Lankan Parliament | 2024–2028  | 23  | 10.2%  | 23  | 10.2%  |  |

## List of female members

[edit]

This is a complete list of women who have served as members of the successive Sri Lankan Legislatures, ordered by seniority. This list includes women who served in the past and who continue to serve in the present.[3]

### Service

[edit]

Representative  | Party  | Electorate  | Years  | Notes

|
|
|
|

Adeline Molamure | \-  | Ruwanwella | June, 1931-
7 December 1935  | Elected in by-election
First woman to be elected to the State Council of Ceylon (first elected female legislator)
Naysum Saravanamuttu | \-  | Colombo North | June, 1931-
4 July 1947  | Second woman to be elected to the State Council
Florence Senanayake | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Kiriella | September, 1947-
8 April 1952  | First female to be elected to Parliament
Cissy Cooray | \-  | \-  | 1947-1952  | First female to be appointed to the Senate of Ceylon
Kusumasiri Gunawardena | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Avissawella | 1948-
18 February 1956  | Second female to be elected to Parliament
Elected unopposed in by-election
Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Kiriella | April, 1956-
5 December 1959  |
Tamara Kumari Ilangaratne | Independent  | Kandy | June, 1949-
8 April 1952  | Third female to be elected to Parliament
Elected in by-election
Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Galagedara | 27 May 1970-
18 May 1977  |
Doreen Wickremasinghe | Communist Party of Ceylon | Akuressa | May, 1952-
18 February 1956  |
Clodagh Jayasuriya | United National Party | \-  | October 1953 - 1956  | Elected to the Senate of Ceylon
Vivienne Goonewardena | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Colombo North | April, 1956-
5 December 1959  |
Borella | 20 July 1960-
17 December 1964  | Elected in by-election
Dehiwala - Mt. Lavinia | 27 May 1970-
18 May 1977  |
Vimala Wijewardene | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Mirigama | April, 1956-
5 December 1959  | First female cabinet minister
Kusuma Rajaratne | Independent | Welimada | September 1957-
5 December 1959  | Elected in by-election
Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna  | Uva-Paranagama | 19 March 1960-
25 March 1970  |
Evelyn de Soysa | \-  | \-  | April 1959-1963  | Appointed member of the Senate of Ceylon
Wimala Kannangara | United National Party | Galigamuwa | 19 March 1960-
23 April 1960
22 March 1965-
25 March 1970
21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  |
Soma Wickremanayake | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Dehiowita | 19 March 1960-
17 December 1964  |
Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Attanagalla | 22 March 1965-
20 December 1988  | Elected to the office of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 21 July 1960, 29 May 1970, 22 May 1972 and 14 November 1994.

Gampaha | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994
National List | 16 August 1994-
18 August 2000
Sivagamie Obeyesekere | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Mirigama | 22 March 1965-
18 May 1977  |
Leticia Rajapaksa | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Dodangaslanda | 22 March 1965-
25 March 1970  | Elected in by-election
Mallika Ratwatte | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Balangoda | 22 March 1965-
18 May 1977  | Elected in by-election
Seetha Seneviratne | United National Party | \-  | October 1967-
April 1970  | Appointed member of the Senate of Ceylon (daughter of Adeline Molamure)
Kusala Abhayavardhana | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Borella | 27 May 1970-
18 May 1977  |
Renuka Herath | United National Party | Walapane | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  |
Nuwara Eliya | 15 February 1989-
18 August 2000  |
Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake | United National Party | Wariyapola | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  |
Kurunegala | 15 February 1989-
9 February 2010  |
Sunethra Ranasinghe | \-  | Dehiwala - Mount Lavinia | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  | Elected in by-election
United National Party | Colombo | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Rupa Sriyani Daniel | United National Party | Hewaheta | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  | Nominated
National List | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Ranganayaki Pathmanathan | \-  | Pottuvil | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  | Nominated
Daya Sepali Senadheera | \-  | Karandeniya | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  | Nominated and succeeded seat vacated by the death of her husband Bandulahewa Senadheera. Assassinated by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
Lohini Wijesiri | \-  | Harispattuwa | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  | Nominated
Keerthilatha Abeywickrema | \-  | Deniyaya | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  | Nominated
Samantha Karunaratne | \-  | Rambukkana | 21 July 1977-
20 December 1988  | Nominated
United National Party | Kegalle | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Sumitha Priyangeni Abeyweera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Kalutara | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Sujatha Dharmawardana | United National Party | Puttalam | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Sumedha G. Jayasena | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Monaragala | 15 February 1989-  |
Chandra Karunaratne | United National Party | Badulla | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Rasamanohari Pulendran | United National Party | Vanni | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Hema Ratnayake | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Badulla | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
United National Party | 16 August 1994-
18 August 2000  |
Daya Amarakeerthi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Galle | 15 February 1989-
24 June 1994  |
Chandrika Kumaratunga | People's Alliance | Gampaha | 16 August 1994-
18 August 2000  | Elected to the office of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 19 August 1994, then President of Sri Lanka on 12 November 1994.
Sumitha Priyangani Abeyweera | People's Alliance | Kalutara | 16 August 1994-
18 August 2000  |
Nirupama Rajapaksa | People's Alliance | Hambantota | 16 August 1994-
18 August 2000  |
United People's Freedom Alliance | 2 April 2004-
9 February 2010  |
Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi | People's Alliance | Ratnapura | 16 August 1994-
7 February 2004  |
Srimanee Athulathmudali | People's Alliance | Colombo | 16 August 1994-
18 August 2000  |
Amara Badra Dissanayake | United National Party | National List | 16 August 1994-
18 August 2000  |
Ferial Ashraff | People's Alliance | Digamadulla | 10 October 2000-
7 February 2004  |
United People's Freedom Alliance | 2 April 2004-
9 February 2010  |
Surangani Ellawala | People's Alliance | Ratnapura | 10 October 2000-
10 October 2001  |
Somakumari Tennakoon | People's Alliance | Kurunegala | 10 October 2000-
7 February 2004  |
Yvonne Sriyani Fernando | People's Alliance | Puttalam | 10 October 2000-
10 October 2001  |
Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe | United National Party | Anuradhapura | 10 October 2000-  |
A. R. Anjan Umma | Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna | National List | 10 October 2000-
10 October 2001  |
Gampaha | 5 December 2001-
7 February 2004  |
Larine Perera | United National Party | Puttalam | 5 December 2001-
9 February 2010  |
Mallika de Mel | PA  | Matara | 5 December 2001-
7 February 2004  |
Chitra Srimathi Mantilake | United National Party | Kandy | 5 December 2001-
7 February 2004  |
Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi | United People's Freedom Alliance | Ratnapura | 2 April 2004-  |
Sujatha Alahakoon | United People's Freedom Alliance | Matale | 2 April 2004-
9 February 2010  |
Thalatha Atukorale | United National Party | Ratnapura | 2 April 2004-  |
Pathmini Sithamparanathan | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | Jaffna | 2 April 2004-
9 February 2010  |
Thangeswary Kathiraman | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | Batticaloa | 2 April 2004-
9 February 2010  |
Sudarshani Fernandopulle | United People's Freedom Alliance | Gampaha | April 2010-  |
Sriyani Wijewickrama | United People's Freedom Alliance | Digamadulla | April 2010-  |
Rosy Senanayake | United National Party | Colombo | April 2010-  |
Upeksha Swarnamali | United National Party | Gampaha | April 2010-  |
Vijayakala Maheswaran | United National Party | Jaffna | April 2010-  |
Malani Fonseka | United People's Freedom Alliance | National List | April 2010-  |
Kamala Ranathunga | United People's Freedom Alliance | National List | April 2010-  |
Anoma Gamage | United National Party | National List | April 2010-  |
Rohini Kumari Wijeratne-Kaviratne | United National Party | Lagalla | April 2015-  |

## See also

[edit]

* Parliament of Sri Lanka
* List of female cabinet ministers of Sri Lanka

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Profile: Chandrika Kumaratunga". BBC. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
2. ^ Bhattacharjya, Satarupa. "Just 10 women in Parliament – a disappointing showing". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
3. ^ "Lady Members". Parliament.lk. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

## External links

[edit]

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