By Naveed RozaisThe FemCon Sri Lanka Collective, an online/onground platform for facilitating intersectional and inter-generational feminist conversations held a panel discussion on 30 November to pay tribute to notable Sri Lankan feminist personalities of the past. Kamini Meedeniya Vitharana Credit: ThuruFeminist lawyer, reformer, and former Human Rights Commissioner in Sri Lanka Satkunanathan paid tribute to prominent human rights activist and social enterprise Viluthu CEO Shanthi Sachithanandam, who worked tirelessly to advance gender rights in the North and north-east of Sri Lanka. Sachithanandam was a strong Tamil nationalist and a disruptor within the Tamil political space, frequently finding herself caught between the state and the Tamil community. The panel also discussed how each past feminist’s work linked to their present-day work and how important it is for feminists to document the lives of other feminists, including personal stories and experiences, especially when it comes to personal engagement with politics. “Looking back, looking ahead: Remembering Lankan feminists we have lost, by celebrating present-day feminists and their work” can be viewed in its entirety on The FemCon Sri Lanka YouTube channel.

Source: The Nation December 03, 2020 02:26 UTC