India, Sri Lanka explore deeper cooperation in women and child welfare initiatives

Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi on Wednesday met Sri Lanka’s Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj and members of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus of Sri Lanka during their study visit to India, with discussions focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation in women and child development.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi, highlighted India’s women-led development model and explored collaboration in areas such as gender equality, maternal and child welfare, care economy initiatives and women’s leadership in governance.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development formally welcomed the Sri Lankan delegation and said the visit reflected the shared commitment of India and Sri Lanka to deepen cooperation in the sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the interaction, the Sri Lankan delegation was briefed on India’s flagship initiatives for women and children, including Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya and Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0. Discussions also centred on the use of digital governance tools and technology-enabled systems to improve service delivery related to women’s safety, empowerment, nutrition and welfare.

Addressing the delegation, Annapurna Devi said the Narendra Modi-led government had adopted a women-led development approach that recognises women as equal partners and active stakeholders in the country’s growth journey. She also underlined the government’s commitment to strengthening institutional mechanisms and welfare frameworks for women and children.

Saroja Savithri Paulraj appreciated India’s initiatives aimed at the empowerment and welfare of women and children and praised the country’s inclusive approach towards women-led development. She also expressed interest in learning from India’s experiences and best practices in the sector.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing institutional cooperation and knowledge-sharing between the two ministries to advance inclusive growth and social development. The meeting concluded with an exchange of mementos and a group photograph.