United Nations policies on women, peace and security are now available in Sinhala and Tamil, following the launch in Colombo of unofficial translations of the relevant Security Council resolutions.
The launch took place at Waters Edge, Battaramulla, marking the 26th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted on 31 October 2000, the Daily Mirror reported.
The event was held under the patronage of Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, and printed copies of the translated resolutions were presented.
Who produced them
The translations were prepared by the organisation Pathways to Peace, with support from the Government of Canada through the Canadian High Commission in Sri Lanka. Canadian High Commissioner Isabelle Martin attended, alongside representatives of Paameta Piyamang (Stepping Towards Peace) and officials of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
The filing describes the translations as unofficial — a distinction worth preserving, since it means they carry no formal status as authentic texts of the resolutions.
What Resolution 1325 covers
Resolution 1325 recognises the role women play in preventing conflict, resolving disputes, taking part in peace negotiations and building peace.
The broader Women, Peace and Security agenda that grew from it seeks an equal role for women in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and security decision-making. It also addresses the protection of women and girls during armed conflict, the prevention of sexual violence, and ensuring women’s needs are accounted for in post-conflict relief and reconstruction.
The minister’s argument
Minister Paulraj said making international policies and decisions available in local languages would help more people understand women’s rights and encourage women to take part in significant decisions.
“Language should not be a barrier to knowledge. It is our shared responsibility to build a peaceful society through awareness, equality and participation.”
The point has particular weight in Sri Lanka, where the instruments governing post-conflict policy have largely circulated in English while the communities most affected by the civil war use Sinhala and Tamil.
Not reported. The filing does not say how many resolutions were translated or name them individually, how the texts will be distributed, whether they will be published online, or whether the Government intends to adopt official translations. It gives no cost for the project and does not say whether Sri Lanka’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security is being revised alongside it.
This report rests on a single verified source. No other newsroom had filed on the launch at the time of writing.