On 26 March 2025, UNFPA Sri Lanka and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands hosted ‘Reflections: Voices from Beijing’, an event to commemorate the International Women’s Day and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA). The event brought together trailblazing Sri Lankan women who participated in the 1995 Beijing Conference, as well as key stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector, to reflect on the progress made and the challenges that remain in achieving gender equality in Sri Lanka.

The event featured powerful reflections from women who were at the Beijing Conference in 1995, linking BPfA to Sri Lanka’s engagement at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), and a striking digital display of reflection stories highlighting voices of women activists and leaders who attended the Beijing Conference or engaged in its preparation sessions and have championed women’s rights and gender equality in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the gathering, Her Excellency Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka, emphasized the importance of continued international collaboration in advancing gender equality. She said, “The Beijing Declaration is a milestone in the global movement for gender equality and women’s empowerment. Today, more than ever we need to reinforce empowerment of women and girls.”

Kunle Adeniyi, UNFPA Sri Lanka Representative, reiterated UNFPA’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in realizing the aspirations of the BPfA and ensuring that women’s rights remain at the center of national development efforts. He said, "The Beijing Conference was a call to action. All of us, individually and collectively, must challenge biases, dismantle harmful gender norms, and champion the empowerment of women and girls, leaving no one behind." 

Among the other esteemed dignitaries who shared inspirational words were, Hon. Saroja Savitri Paulraj, Sri Lanka's Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Emeritus Professor of Law Savitri Goonesekere, who was a member of the Government delegation at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, Ms. Saroja Sivachandran, Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Women's Development in Jaffna, and Dr. Sepali Kottegoda, representing Women and Media Collective (WMC) at CSW69.