The 3rd International Research Symposium on Gender Equity and Equality (IRSGEE 2026 / VIYOMAM 2026) was held on August 6, 2026, at the Kailasapathy Auditorium, University of Jaffna. Organized by the Centre for Gender Equity and Equality (CGEE), University of Jaffna, in collaboration with the Department of Christian and Islamic Civilization and the Student Christian Movement of Sri Lanka, the symposium convened academics, policymakers, and civil society representatives under the theme "From Policy to Practice: Making Gender Equity and Equality a Lived Reality."

The inaugural ceremony featured opening remarks from the Conference Chair, the release of official proceedings, and an address by General Chair and Vice Chancellor, Senior Professor T. Velnamby, on building equitable academic spaces.

A central highlight was the keynote address delivered by Senior Professor P. Anuruddhi S. Edirisinghe (Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Kelaniya), titled "Gender Equity and Equality in Sri Lankan State Universities: Can We Achieve Without Addressing SGBV? A Perspective from a Forensic Medicine Expert."

Prof. Edirisinghe highlighted a crucial trend: female university enrollment and application rates have risen dramatically, surpassing male representation even in traditionally male-dominated disciplines. However, she emphasized that numerical parity does not equal true equity. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) remains a major barrier that prevents women from reaching their full potential within academia; a disparity clearly reflected in the underrepresentation of women in senior academic leadership positions.

Drawing from forensic medicine and legal perspectives, the keynote contrasted outdated punitive justice models with modern restorative justice approaches. Effective responses to SGBV must prioritize victim well-being by integrating medical, psychological, and protective care. Within Sri Lankan state universities, this shift is taking shape through the University Grants Commission (UGC) CGEE and university-level GEE cells. By transitioning away from institutional denial regarding SGBV and ragging, higher education institutions are embedding restorative principles via online reporting systems, counselling networks, and interlinked health and welfare services.

The inaugural program also featured plenary addresses by Prof. Prabha Manuratne (UGC CGEE Director), Prof. C. S. Wickramagamage, Mr. Timothy Kumarathunga, and Ms. Shanthi Bhagirathan, offering multi-sectoral perspectives on gender policy and inclusion.

A panel discussion moderated by Prof. Shivany Shanmugathas, titled "Between Policy and Practice: Where Does Gender Equality Break Down? – Perspectives from Diverse Contexts," further examined structural and cultural barriers across various sectors. Panelists included Dr. Manoj Fernando (higher education), Ms. Chathini Uduwana (technology and cybercrime), Prof. A. Sarwesvaran (legal frameworks), Dr. M. C. Rasmin (media and digital spaces), and Dr. Shanthi Elizabeth Senthe (finance and economic participation).

The event concluded with parallel technical sessions at the Faculty of Arts, featuring 44 academic papers and 66 undergraduate poster presentations across 13 thematic tracks. By connecting forensic insights on SGBV with broader institutional policies, IRSGEE 2026 reaffirmed that true gender equality in Sri Lanka's state universities requires confronting systemic violence alongside academic policy reform.