Gender Equality in Sri Lanka Gender equality in Sri Lanka has seen notable progress, yet significant challenges persist across political, economic, and social spheres. Political Representation Sri Lanka has a history of female political leadership, notably electing the world's first female prime minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, in 1960. Despite this legacy, women's representation in national politics remains low. Women currently hold only 5.3% of seats in Parliament, and there are no female presidential candidates in the upcoming election, despite women constituting over half of the electorate In 2016, a 25% quota for female representation was introduced in local councils, but political party structures and societal norms continue to hinder women's participation in leadership roles . Economic Participation Women's labor force participation in Sri Lanka is approximately 34%, significantly lower than men's 70.7% . Cultural norms often restrict women to unp...