The Samagi Vanitha Balavegaya (SVB) the women’s wing of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) will set the stage to end period poverty in Sri Lanka, on International Women’s Day which is marked on Monday.

It will hold a mini Art Exhibition and announce the winners of the island-wide Art competition organized on the theme, End Period Poverty in Sri Lanka, at its special International Women’s Day event in Colombo.

This event is designed to honour and reiterate SVB’s commitment to social, cultural, political and economic empowerment of women in Sri Lanka and provide equal opportunities to women. 

The SVB International Women’s Day celebration will be held under the auspices of SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Ms. Jalani Premadasa. Mr. Premadasa launched the SVB during his presidential election campaign under the SJB Women’s Charter. The SVB will work towards ending period poverty in Sri Lanka, with better health for women.

What is Period poverty?
Period Poverty is the lack of access to safe sanitary products and facilities such as clean water and sanitation essential for menstrual hygiene. It is an unacknowledged public health issue which affects over half the population of Sri Lanka, but remains unaddressed due to the stigma attached to menstruation. Ignorance and disregard of this natural biological process can lead to physical health risks and impede the ability to manage menstruation safely and with dignity. 

In Sri Lanka, girls are often unable to attend school due to period poverty while women and girls also suffer shame and stigma. Normalizing menstruation through education and providing safe sanitary products to all who suffer indignity, shame and hardship is the only way to empower women and girls to achieve their full potential. Period poverty can no longer be just a ‘women’s issue’ but everyone’s responsibility to ensure gender-sensitive public policies.

International Women’s Day Art Competition 
The competition organized by the SVB has attracted an unprecedented number of entries from males and females from all parts of Sri Lanka and even from Sri Lankans based overseas. The competition features three age groups, 15 to 18 years, 19 to 35 years and36 years and above.

An independent panel of art experts, representing The Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities will judge the entries. Attractive cash awards and trophies will be given to the winners of the first three places in each category. Prize winners will be invited to receive their prizes at an awards ceremony that will be held at the end of 
March 2021.

The SVB extends a warm invitation to all who sent entries for the Art Competition and all others, to join hands to end period poverty in Sri Lanka and contribute towards a better tomorrow for women and all citizens in Sri Lanka to join this event virtually on Facebook.

Please visit the following links to participate in the event live on your browser:
https://bit.ly/2ZunJ0n or https://www.facebook.com/womenforsjb (type the links in your browser) which will take place on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021, at 10.00 am.

Hirunika Premachandra
National Organizer 
Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya