The Sri Lanka Navy, last week, assigned its first group of female sailors for sea duties. According to the Navy, this first group of Navy women included two lady officers and five women sailors, and they were attached to SLNS Gajabahu last Thursday (11).

“Breaking barriers and traditional stereotypes about gender roles, the Navy offered female sailors the opportunity to follow the Inshore Patrol Craft Handling Foundation Course in October 2022. During the course held at the Naval and Maritime Academy and Naval Dockyard Trincomalee, these lady officers and women sailors sharpened their practical and theoretical knowledge on navigation, seamanship, engineering, electricity, combat medicine, firefighting and communication,” the Navy said.  

The Navy’s move to deploy women for sea duties follows in the footsteps of other navies in the region. The SLNS Gajabahu, an ex-US Coast Guard cutter which was donated to the Sri Lanka Navy, is one of the largest vessels in the fleet, and is equipped to offer separate accommodation for women sailors.