Sri Lanka’s journey toward inclusive local governance took a major step forward in 2018 with the introduction of the 25% quota for women in local politics. While this opened doors for many women to enter councils, significant barriers to meaningful participation remain. To help overcome these challenges, the Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities (FSLGA), under the PMI-WILL project, has launched a Mentorship Program that connects experienced female councillors with newly elected women representatives.
About the Mentorship Program
The program is designed to empower first-term female councillors by pairing them with re-elected women councillors who have already completed at least one term in office. Using the PMI-WILL Mentorship Guide, mentors share their knowledge, leadership insights, and political strategies to support newcomers in navigating local government.
As part of this initiative, a two-day training program was conducted in June 2025 in both Sinhala and Tamil;
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Sinhala-medium training - Colombo, 14 - 15 June, with 15 mentors and 31 mentees.
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Tamil-medium training - Kandy, 29 - 30 June, with 7 mentors and 13 mentees.
Sessions focused on leadership development, inclusivity, and active political participation, with a particular emphasis on women from marginalized and underrepresented communities.
Training Highlights
On Day One, the focus was on preparing the mentors for their roles. Sessions covered the essentials of effective mentorship, such as building trust, confidentiality, and patience, while also introducing mentorship models and approaches. Mentors reflected on the qualities that make a good mentor, learned techniques to track progress and evaluate the program’s impact, and explored ways to encourage their mentees to become future mentors themselves ensuring the program’s sustainability.
Day Two was dedicated to the mentees and facilitated by the mentors. This session allowed experienced councillors to share their own political journeys, highlight the value of mentorship, and provide guidance on both institutional and personal development. Mentees worked on drafting their own mentorship plans, while also voicing the need for support in areas such as career goal setting, public speaking, professional networking, and overcoming political challenges. They were encouraged to actively engage in the process by preparing for sessions, asking questions, sharing ideas, and showing respect and appreciation for their mentors.
Building on FSLGA’s Capacity Building Efforts
The mentorship program builds on FSLGA’s broader work under PMI-WILL, which includes training on public speaking, proposal writing, election campaigning, leadership, and budget preparation. Many of the mentors had previously participated in these capacity-building workshops, making them well-prepared to guide new councillors. The program aims to create a sustainable, peer-led model of leadership development that will continue even beyond FSLGA’s direct involvement.
Stories of Change
Most mentors first entered politics in 2018 and have since gained hands-on Local governance experience. Now, they are stepping up as role models for the next generation of women leaders. Several inspiring stories emerged from the program;
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Institutional Change in Dehiowita Pradeshiya Sabha Mentor Cllr. Rasika Ellawala, despite being from a minority party, successfully proposed the establishment of a Women and Child Affairs Advisory Committee at her council’s first meeting (6 July 2025). She appointed a newly elected woman councillor as Chairperson, committed to serve as a member herself, and prioritized breast cancer prevention through mobile health clinics.
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Expanding Women’s Advisory Committees
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Cllr. Dhammika Samarakoon (WariyapolaPradeshiya Sabha) mentored Cllr. J.M. Kalyani Jayasinghe, who went on to establish and now serves as the Chairperson of the Women’s Advisory Committee in Mawathagama Pradeshiya Sabha.
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Cllr. Achala Rajakaruna (Ukuwela Pradeshiya Sabha) became the Chairperson of her council’s Women’s Advisory Committee, further strengthening women’s institutional presence.
A Legacy in the Making
The PMI-WILL mentorship program has demonstrated the power of women supporting women in politics. By equipping re-elected councillors to mentor the newly elected, FSLGA is fostering a culture of collaboration, resilience, and leadership among women in local government.
These efforts not only strengthen women’s political participation today but also lay the groundwork for long-term gender-sensitive governance and democratic development in Sri Lanka.