It is a social responsibility.
Parliament’s responsibility should not limit to approving expenditure.
It must also examine whether our public spending is producing the social and economic outcomes we need.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya made these remarks while participating in the roundtable dialogue on "Financing the Care Economy: The Role of Parliament" held on 21 July 2026.
The roundtable was jointly organized by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Parliament.
The dialogue brought together Members of Parliament with an interest in the economy and finance, gender equality, and social care to strengthen understanding and exchange ideas on addressing barriers to economic growth through a gender-responsive analysis of the economy and the national budget.
Discussions focused on the importance of investing in the care economy and identifying practical measures to ensure that targeted investments in social care are reflected in the next Government Budget.
Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated,
When adequate and affordable care services are unavailable, families have to find their own solutions. In most cases, it is women who adjust their lives. They reduce their working hours, turn down employment opportunities, interrupt their careers or leave the workforce altogether. As a result, women lose income, professional opportunities and economic independence, while the country loses skills, knowledge and productive potential.
The Prime Minister stressed that care should no longer be regarded solely as a private responsibility but as a national economic and public policy priority
The Prime Minister stated,
’We need to stop treating care simply as a private responsibility to be managed within individual households. Care is a social responsibility. It is an economic issue. It is a gender equality issue. And it is a matter of public policy.’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further emphasized that investing in the care economy is not merely a social expenditure but a strategic investment in Sri Lanka’s economic growth and human capital. She noted that affordable childcare, quality early childhood education, eldercare services, support for persons with disabilities, and stronger social protection systems enable more women to participate in the workforce, create employment opportunities within the care sector, and strengthen families and communities.
The Prime Minister stated,
’Budgets are not simply financial documents. They reflect our priorities as a country. The decisions we make about where public resources are allocated tell us what we value and what we consider important for our development.
The Prime Minister also stressed that building a more inclusive and competitive economy requires creating the social infrastructure that allows women to fully participate in economic life.
Highlighting Parliament’s responsibility, the Prime Minister noted Parliament must go beyond approving public expenditure to ensure national budgets support investments in care infrastructure, social protection and public services that reduce the burden of unpaid care work and create more equitable opportunities for women.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for stronger evidence to support policymaking, noting that unpaid care and domestic work remain largely absent from traditional economic indicators despite being indispensable to the functioning of the formal economy.
The occasion was attended by Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Chair of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Parliament and Minister of Women and Child Affairs Ms Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Ministers, Members of Parliament and Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Parliament, Diplomatic Corps, Country Director and all representatives of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in Sri Lanka, Representatives from International agencies, Domain Experts and Civil Society Leaders.
Prime Minister’s Media Division