Sri Lanka, June 2 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appointed Grace Asirwatham as the new Chairperson of the National Commission on Women.

The appointment was made on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council.

Asirwatham was Ambassador to Nepal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Head of Mission to the European Union. She also served as Deputy Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The National Commission on Women was established under the Women Empowerment Act No. 37 of 2024. It provides the statutory framework for the promotion, protection, and advancement of women's rights in Sri Lanka.

The Act defines the Commission's mandate and functions relating to the protection a...