58th Session of the Human Rights Council:
Statement by PR/Geneva
(as the country concerned following the Oral Update on Sri Lanka
by the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
03 March 2025
On 26 February 2025, Hon. Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, visited the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Hon. Minister met Ms. Charlotte Warakaulle, Director of International Relations and Prof. Emmanuel Tsesmelis, Head of Non-Member State Relations during the visit and explored future opportunities for Sri Lankan students, academics and scientists to contribute to experiments and research work with CERN while reinvigorating Sri Lanka’s collaboration with CERN.
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Mr. President, I wish to congratulate you on your election as the President of this Council.
Mr. President,
Madam President
Excellencies
Distinguished delegates
First, let me congratulate Her Excellency ICHIKAWA Tomiko, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan on assuming the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament. I wish to assure you of my country’s fullest support and cooperation for the success of the CD. I also sincerely thank Italy; the First President to the CD this year for the leadership in adopting the programme of work and setting the ground for this year’s work. Let me reiterate the support of Sri Lanka to Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia and Mexico; the incoming presidents for 2025 and wish them strength to unlock the deadlock the CD has been in for over two decades and resume its substantive work.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Saroja Savithri Paulraj presented the progress made since the submission of Sri Lanka’s 9th periodic report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Geneva on 13th February 2025. Outlining notable progress achieved, notable achievements in decision making roles including in Parliament, Minister Paulraj underlined the government’s commitment to upholding the rights of women and girls and in advancing gender equality across all sectors, while seeking to address remaining challenges across economic, social and cultural spheres. Minister Paulraj highlighted the election of 22 female Parliamentarians from diverse social backgrounds including from the working class, marginalized communities and two women parliamentarians from the Malayaga community for the first time in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary history, as well as the appointment of the third female Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, who obtained the highest number of preferential votes from the Colombo district.
Madam Chair,
Distinguished members of the Committee,
Civil society representatives, particularly those who have travelled from Sri Lanka,
Good morning
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