President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, has appointed retired Ambassador, Grace Asirwatham as the new Chairperson of the National Commission on Women (NCW).

The Commission was established under the Women Empowerment Act, No. 37 of 2024, which provides the statutory framework for the promotion, protection, and advancement of women’s rights. The Act defines the Commission’s mandate and functions relating to the protection and advancement of women’s rights and gender equality, including the investigation of infringements, or imminent infringements, of such rights. Since its formal constitution in September of 2025, the Commission is currently in the process of operationalisation. It is actively engaged in developing its institutional framework, administrative and procedural systems, and in establishing the necessary human resources, physical and digital infrastructure, and operational tools required for its effective functioning.

Asirwatham served as the Ambassador to Nepal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, and as the Head of Mission to the European Union. She also served at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as its Deputy Director-General, as an international civil servant engaged in multilateral diplomacy.

She is joined by Commission Members Shreen Saroor, Janaha Selvaras, Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, Dr Padma Gunaratne, Dr Kalana Senaratne, and M U Gayani, together with the Executive Director K D R Olga.