Whereas many countries operate a quota system to help increase the number of women in parliament, Kumaratunga believes that it is not necessary and there are no obstacles to Sri Lankan women getting involved in politics.

Some countries, especially in the developing world, have had to have laws saying this percentage of people's representatives must be females and that kind of thing. We've never had that need because very early, from the time I remember, there was no obstacle at all to women coming into politics or taking part in public life.

Whilst this view may be the case for elite women, it is not generally true for all women in Sri Lanka. Both Kumaratunga and her mother were helped by the "widow culture" - where women relatives of political figures are able to accede to power.