Sri Lankan Women in International Relations

Abstract

According to Eleanor Roosevelt, Simone de Beauvoir and numerous other scholars and politicians, international politics and international relations are considered to be domains dominated by men. Although it is true that representation of women in international relations is limited, a few women have overcome the barriers of entry and made their way to the field of international relations. After gaining independence in 1948, it took several years for Sri Lanka to give an opportunity to Sri Lankan women to prove themselves in the field of international relations. Even though India had begun appointing women diplomats since 1946 with the appointment of Vijay Lakshmi Pundit as a Permanent Representative to the United Nations (PRUN) it was only in 1958 that Sri Lanka followed in the foot-steps of India and appointed its first woman diplomat. However, since 1960s women’s contribution to the field of international relations has increased significantly. Late Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranike’s role as the first female head of the government is of paramount importance in this regard. The objective of the study is to evaluate the role played by Sri Lankan women in international relations. The research is descriptive in nature and based on secondary sources. The findings of the study reveal that Sri Lankan women’s contribution to the field of international relations is as equally important as men’s contribution. Furthermore, it could be concluded that women’s representation in diplomacy and their contribution to the field of international relations is on the rise.