Neetha Ariyaratne

Neetha Ariyaratne is the Founder of Savordaya Suwasetha Women’s Movement (also known as Kulagana Sansadaya), a subsection of Sarvodaya, dedicated to advocating for the rights of women and addressing inter-sectional challenges faced by women in different communities in Sri Lanka. A long-time advocate for women’s rights, Neetha has galvanised her network and platform to address women’s equal access to health, justice, and full participation in economic and political life. An example of their far-reaching work includes the provision support to disabled women and girls through vocational and computer literacy training.

Neetha’s initiatives launched within the Savordaya Suwasetha framwork include a Nutrition Centre to respond to malnutrition, and the Sarvodaya Suwasetha Children’s Homes which were established during the civil war to address the growing number of orphaned and displaced children. Further to this the initiative Ma-Sevana Home for Teenage Mothers, offers psycho-social support and skills training to teenagers affected by sexual violence. Her efforts have been recognized through international and national awards such as the Zonta International Award (2002), and the Diriya Kantha Prasadini Award presented by the Saviya Women’s Organization (2012) to name a few.