Sri Lankan women’s groups urge parliamentary family law reforms

Women’s rights organizations in Sri Lanka are calling on the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to accelerate long-delayed reforms to the nation’s family laws. Representatives from KELEER – Forum for Gender-Just Family Law and Legal Practices and the Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF) met with the Caucus on September 10 to address issues regarding access to justice, economic security, and protection from violence.

The groups are advocating for the passage of four specific pieces of legislation: the Matrimonial Causes Bill, the General Marriage Ordinance Amendment Bill, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act Amendment Bill, and the Prevention of Domestic Violence Amendment Bill.

While the Caucus acknowledged that existing legal gaps affect women and children and committed to investigating the status and delays of these Bills, the advocacy groups noted that no specific timeframe for passing the legislation was established. The groups also requested broader systemic changes, such as the establishment of family courts and increased state support for survivors of gender-based violence.