Sri Lanka, March 8 -- Today, as we mark International Women's Day, we stand at a crucial moment in history. This is a time to come together-not just to celebrate the progress we have made, but to confront the deep structural inequalities as well as misogynistic ideologies that continue to shape the lives of women, in all their diversity-not only in Sri Lanka but all over the world.

Gender-based violence, economic hardship, and political exclusion disproportionately affect women-particularly those from rural communities, war-affected regions, plantations, and the informal labour sector. No woman is safe until every single woman is safe. We must commit to protecting one another, ensuring that no one is left behind, and that the rights and ...