By Pushpa Ramlani Dissanayake

In 1995, I had the honour of representing the Uva Community Development Center (NGO), Badulla District, at the historic International Women's Conference held in Beijing. At the time, I was leading the Women's Desk at the organization, and the opportunity to be part of this global moment was truly a turning point in my life.

"The opportunity to be part of this global moment was truly a turning point in my life."

The conference brought together women’s rights activists from across the globe. Meeting women from different countries and diverse communities within Sri Lanka opened my eyes to the shared struggles we face—regardless of class, caste, ethnicity, religion, or language. We exchanged ideas, experiences, and hopes, and I realised then: the issues that affect women are universal.

"Regardless of class, caste, ethnicity, religion, or language, all women folks are experiencing the same problems and issues."

As the Sri Lankan delegation, we didn’t just participate in scheduled sessions—we took action. One of our most powerful initiatives was the "Say No to War" campaign, which we organized as a united team. That spirit of collective activism made the Beijing experience unforgettable.

Attending different sessions gave us deep insight into issues such as trafficking, violence against women, domestic violence, sexual harassment, unpaid care work, and LGBT rights. These discussions shaped how we later approached grassroots activism back in Sri Lanka. We returned home with knowledge, tools, and a renewed sense of purpose to engage women in new and meaningful ways.

"The exposure we received from the conference was really important as women activists."

Beyond the conference, we also had the opportunity to visit iconic places like Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall of China—experiences that added cultural richness to the journey.

Beijing was also where I crossed paths with remarkable leaders of Sri Lanka’s women's movement—Ms. Sunila Abeysekera, Dr. Sepali Kottegoda, and Ms. Kumudini Samuel. A few years later, Sunila invited me to join Women and Media Collective (WMC), marking another key chapter in my activism. With WMC, we initiated numerous impactful programs. One special project was launching a music CD and cassette focused on women's issues, featuring all-female writers, composers, and vocalists. I had the honour of writing the theme song, which continues to be used by media outlets during International Women's Day celebrations.

"The theme song was written by me. It has been accepted by most NGOs and is still used as an International Women's Day song by electronic media."

At WMC, I was also part of the editorial board of "Eya" (She), where we discussed women’s issues and encouraged women’s political participation. The Beijing experience and my work with NGOs eventually opened doors for me at the United Nations, where I served for nearly 12 years in East Timor, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Sudan.

"Beijing experience and working with NGOs on women's issues opened the doors for me to the United Nations."

Today, I continue to be involved in the work of "Mothers and Daughters of Lanka." I am deeply grateful to the Beijing Conference Committee and Women and Media Collective for this life-changing opportunity that helped shape my journey as a women’s rights activist.