Hambantota Women Hold Protest in Front of Presidential Secretariat

26-Sep-2026

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Members of the Hambantota Women’s Development Federation staged a protest in front of the Presidential Secretariat on 25 September 2026, urging the immediate implementation of the proposed policy for a “tobacco-free generation”, taking into consideration the welfare of children and young people.

The Sri Lanka Medical Association first formally submitted a comprehensive proposal to the Minister of Health in 2024 for the introduction of a “tobacco-free generation” policy in the country. Subsequently, in 2025, and again in 2026, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol and the Sri Lanka Medical Association jointly submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Health.

A key provision of the proposal is the complete prohibition on the sale of any tobacco-related product, including cigarettes, to anyone born in 2010 or thereafter. Under the proposal, a person who reaches the age of 21 in 2031 would never have been legally entitled to purchase tobacco during his or her lifetime.

However, despite the importance of the proposal to public health, it has not yet been submitted to the Cabinet for approval to proceed with legislation.

The Hambantota Women’s Development Federation alleged that indirect pressure from multinational tobacco companies was responsible for the delay and called on the Government to intervene immediately, enact the proposal into law and protect the country’s younger generation.

More than 300 mothers and women from various parts of Hambantota participated in the protest. They carried placards bearing slogans including, “Start the tobacco-free generation today”, “Do not bow to pressure from multinational tobacco companies”, and “Cigarettes lead to the loss of every father.”

The protesters also handed over a memorandum setting out their demands to the Presidential Secretariat.

A woman who participated in the protest said:

“We have come from Hambantota. Many young people are facing severe difficulties due to tobacco use. The President must take action to free the generation born after 2010 from tobacco. We request that the ‘tobacco-free generation’ Bill be implemented without delay and that we be given a future generation that is free.”