The participants of a South Asian Regional Conference on Women Political Rights organized by South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE)’s Women Rights Campaign Group (women political leaders, women parliamentarians, civil society activists and human rights defenders of the South Asian countries), coordinated by All Nepal Women Association and Women Welfare Society on 11 and 12 September 2013 in Kathmandu, Nepal have mourned and observed one minute silence to tribute to Sunila Abeyasekara, a human rights defenders, feminist and social workers from Sri-Lanka who died on 9 September 2013, for her contribution to human rights struggle, feminist movements and promoting democratic values in South Asia and beyond.
She devoted her life to protect and promote human right, women rights and rights of minorities. She has been the icon of the human rights defenders and feminist movements in the world. She was intellectual, thinker and ideologue of human rights and feminist movement in the region.
The participants of the conference have pledged that they will carry over her legacy for fighting human rights, women rights and democracy in South Asia building on the courage that Sunila Abeyasekara left to her colleagues. They have extended condolence to her bereaved family and friends.