Background
Sylvia Fernando was born to an elite family in Colombo, Ceylon in 1904.
Sylvia Fernando was born to an elite family in Colombo, Ceylon in 1904.
She co-founded the Family Planning Association of Ceylon in 1953. Her mother was a social worker and her father was an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Fernando met Swedish women"s rights activist Elise Ottesen-Jensen in 1948.
In May 1958, Sweden agreed to provide $80,000 to distribute contraceptives in two communities in Ceylon.
Fernando was a lead member of the All Ceylon Women"s Conference.