The Women's Franchise Union (WFU), was an organization for
Women's suffrage in Sri Lanka, founded in 1927.
[{{Cite book , last=Rappaport , first=Helen , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rpuSzowmIkgC&pg=PA803 , title=Encyclopedia of Women Social Reformers , date=2001 , publisher=ABC-CLIO , isbn=978-1-57607-101-4 , pages=181, 803 , language=en]
It was the first organization to campaign in a systematic way for women's suffrage in Sri Lanka, as well as the main organization for the purpose.
In 1909, the
Ceylon Women's Union from 1904 first lifted the issue of women's suffrage, and in 1925, the Mallika Kulangana Samitiya first lifted a resolution at the sessions at the
Ceylon National Congress in favor of the reform. In 1927 therefore, Women's Franchise Union was founded to campaign for the issue with
Mary Rutnam
Mary Rutnam (née Irwin; 2 June 1873 – 1962) was a Canadian doctor, gynaecologist, suffragist, and pioneer of women's rights in Sri Lanka. She became nationally recognised for her work in women's health and health education, birth control, priso ...
and
Agnes Nell among its founders.
Indian Suffragettes: Female Identities and Transnational Networks
'Agnes De Silva
Agnes Marion de Silva ( Nell; 1885-1961) was a Sri Lankan women's activist from a progressive society who, during the 1930s, pioneered issues related to women and in particular adult suffrage or franchise for women in Sri Lanka. She was instrume ...
was secretary of the Ceylon Franchise Union. She led an organized delegation of women members of the Franchise Union to present their case at the 1928
Donoughmare Commission on Constitutional Reform, which the
British Government
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then in control of the island had constituted. They advocated for suffrage to be granted to women thirty years of age and older. The reforms she introduced later became a part of new constitution established in 1931. After the new constitution came into force the adult franchise was extended to women above the age of 21, regardless of their educational status.
References
Women's organisations based in Sri Lanka
Organizations established in 1927
Voter rights and suffrage organizations
Women's suffrage by country
1927 in Ceylon
Women's rights in Sri Lanka