Slide Gender equality and non-discrimination of women is a guiding principle of State machinery and State action in Sri Lanka. The Constitution of Sri Lanka promulgated in 1978 in Article 12(2) sets out the principle of non discrimination on the ground of sex (and other specified grounds). Article 12(4) further provides for affirmative State action for the special advantage of women. In 1981, in keeping with the commitment made in the Constitution, Sri Lanka ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Sri Lanka is also signatory to a number of other international conventions that recognize gender equality: o International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights o International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights o These clearly distinguish discrimination on the grounds of sex as a violation of human rights. In 1993 Sri Lanka signed the Vienna Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women setting out the country’s focused commitment to fight against gender based violence. Slide The State commitment to issues particular to women came about during the United Nations Decade for Women (1975 to 1985) and specifically as a result of the International Women’s Year in 1975. In 1978 the government established the Women’s Bureau of Sri Lanka, the first ever national level machinery for women set up as a key institution under the then Ministry of Plan Implementation. From 1983 to today, Sri Lanka has had a Ministry concerned with Women’s Affairs. Currently this Ministry is the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs. The Sri Lanka Women's Charter was drafted and adopted by the State in March 1993. This is the main policy statement by the government, regarding the rights of women, expressing the States' commitment to remove all forms of discrimination against women and address crucial areas relevant to women. The Charter stems from the CEDAW and DEVAW. It sets up the National Committee on Women (NCW) The National Plan of Action for Women (NPA) was adopted by Sri Lanka in May 1996 following the 1995 World Conference on Women, and has been developed based on the Global Platform for Action on Women. 78