Home Page - Kantha Shakthi Organisation

Who are we

We are a grass root level Non Governmental women’s organization which has been working with the women of Sri Lanka since 1983. Our objective is to create a society where women are economically, politically, socially, and culturally advanced and empowered irrespective of gender, class, caste, ethnicity, religion, geographical location, age, and marriage. Kantha Shakthi was started in 1983 by a group of women and men. The group included feminist activists and researchers, rural women, women from the plantation sector, women in middle class professions such as teaching, nursing, and artists.

Its main and immediate purpose was to conscentise women and wider society about the issues faced by women and campaign for women’s rights and human rights and other social – political issues such as the ethnic conflict.

Out of all categories of people in Sri Lankan society, women seemed to be the most severely affected group by the negative effects of development. Kantha Shakthi was set up particularly as a women’s social movement to address, campaign for and find solutions to the problems faced by such women as those working in the free trade zone, in agriculture, in the tea estates, in the graphite industry and so on and empower them

What do we do?

launch economic development programs, to improve income, self-reliance and dignity of economically and socially disadvantaged women.
take action to eradicate, unjust and degrading practices, customs, and beliefs that hinder the personal and social development of women.
encourage moving towards democratic family based on love, understanding, respect and gender equality, in place of the patriarchal family.
recognise and defend the human rights, equality and dignity of people of all ethnic communities in general and of women in particular.
build solidarity among women, at the local, national and international level with a view to advance the empowerment of women.

Women’s organizations unite to celebrate women’s day 2008

The women's organisations held a united women's day, on March 8th in Colombo. The day's celebrations consisted of two events, namely a seminar and a march and picket under the broad theme “women unite to keep alive the light of humanity and carry it into the future"

The seminar
The seminar was held at the auditorium of the Mahaweli Centre, Colombo from 9.30 to 11.30 am on the 8th.

A remarkable number of invited guests and another two hundred and fifty women and men representing the organisations that formed the collective attended the seminar. There were five speeches on the following topics and the declaration for the women’s day 2008 was read out.

The relevance and significance of holding a united women's day,
The war and its consequenses for women
The economic crisis and the escalating cost of living
Increasing incidence of violence against women
Recapitulation and synthesis

The march and the picket
The march started at 12.30 from Vihara Maha Devi Park to Lipton Circus, Colombo. The number of women , men and children who took part in the demonstration was approximately between 2200- 2500 and they represented Sinhala , Tamil and Muslim communities from all parts of Sri Lanka except the North. There were banners and placards on the current economic, political and women's issues.

The media coverage
Ten women got opportunity, on the 4th, 5th 6th and 7th of March to appear in six major television channels in Sri Lanka to speak on the united women's day, why the unity among was important and what were the issues to be highlighted on the women's day.

On the 7th of March the FM Network Radio broad cast a statement from the co-coordinator.

Several brief statements from the women and men who participated in the events were broad cast by the ‘Sandesaya’ of the BBC at 9.35 pm on 8th March. Sirasa Television on 8th March at 10.00 pm news, highlighted the united women's day. On 11th March, at 8.00 pm, Young Asia Television showed the seminar and the picket.

The Tamil Newspaper ' Weerakesari ' on 9th March had given publicity of one full page to the women's day along with several clear pictures. LankaDeepa, the Sinhala daily, on the 12th March published a detailed news item on the women's day with clear pictures.

Download the International Women's Day Declaration 2008 Document in PDF format