The Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and the Sri Lanka Forum for Parliamentarians on Population and Sustainable Development (SLPPD) in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka conducted a two-day workshop on population and development on the 16^th and 17^th of February 2017.

SLPPD, a member National Committee of AFPPD, was initiated in October 2016 under the leadership of the Sri Lankan Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare, S.B. Dissanayake, following his participation in AFPPD's inaugural Standing Committee Meeting on Active Ageing.

Among the participants were the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thilanga Sumathipala, several cabinet, state and deputy ministers including the Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Chandrani Bandara, Lakshman Seneviratne, Dr Sudharshini Fernandopulle, Asoka Abeysinghe, Niroshan Perera and several Members of Parliament including those from the opposition were present. Further the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Prof Lakshman Dissanayake, representatives from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), senior staff representing different Ministries and the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka were also present. 

In her address, FPA Sri Lanka Executive Director Thushara Agus said “This workshop provides us a great opportunity to launch the national level activities of SLPPD. Whilst it gives a platform for mutual learning and an understanding AFPPD’s Strategic Focus, it will equip our Hon. Ministers and Members of Parliament with the user-friendly advocacy tools that can be adapted to the national context. The three thematic areas as active ageing, Youth and gender equality and women’s empowerment are common issues to the region, where Sri Lanka has to make important strides and improvements”

Addressing the issues of ageing population and female workforce in Sri Lanka in his opening remarks, Minister S.B. Dissanayake said Sri Lanka has a decreasing female labor force participation, but increasing female life expectancy and emphasized on the need to ensure the rights for elderly to work as the intergenerational care for elderly is not sustainable.

Ms Madu Dissanayake, Director Advocacy, Policy and Public Affairs delivered a session on Providing SRH services in emergencies and spelt out the current operational framework and how it is linked to policies and practices on the ground. She stated that "Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) comprises vital actions required to respond to Sexual and Reproductive Health needs at the onset of every humanitarian crisis and how it should be coordinated at different levels"

The workshop strategized SLPPD's activities for 2017 and beyond, in alignment with AFPPD's strategic priorities on gender equality and women's empowerment, investing in youth, and active ageing.

The "AFPPD-SLPPD National Inception Workshop'' was co-organized by the National Secretariat of Elders of SLPPD, and funded by UNFPA, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and the European Commission.