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Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 4.35 GMT |
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President's Women's day Message |
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I am pleased to send this message on International
Women’s Day 2008, which marks the centenary of the
day in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New
York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and
voting rights.
Although women in Sri Lanka have made considerable
progress in the recognition and achievement of their
rights, there is much more to be done to ensure true
equality. The movement for women’s rights in Sri
Lanka has largely kept abreast of the progress of
women’s struggles elsewhere, and our women have
gained some achievements such as full voting rights
even before their sisters in the West.
The theme for IWD this year “Shaping Progress” is
timely in the attention it draws to the need to
build on the progress already made by women to move
towards further and necessary achievements. On this
day, it will be useful to think of the areas in
which more action is still needed such as equal pay
for equal work, women’s education and health, and
violence against women.
IWD and its related events in the struggle for
women’s advancement, diligently reminds society of
the need for continued vigilance and action to
ensure that women’s equality is gained and
maintained in all aspects of life. This can be
furthered by the understanding that achievements of
women’s rights can only be assured by success in
strengthening and safeguarding all basic human
rights, of which women’s rights are an integral
part.
I wish all success to the many events organized to
mark International Women’s Day 2008 and to the
struggle for true equality for women.
Mahinda Rajapaksa
March 05, 2008
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