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Women’s rights: Ministry lines up new programmes
View(s):By Aanya Wipulasena
Awareness on teenage pregnancies, educating women about workplace harassment and introducing a Tamil medium for the diploma course on Women in Politics are some of the programmes planned by the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs for this year. An increase in the incidents of teenage pregnancies in former conflict-areas has rung alarm bells, making awareness in that area a priority.
Sharing a light moment: The First Lady with Minister Karaliyadda at the event at Temple Trees. Pic by Indika Handuwala
“According to the data gathered so far, we identified that teenage pregnancy is most widespread in the North and East areas as young girls are not properly educated in this regard while governmental and nongovernmental organisations have not been able to reach out to them,” a senior Ministry official said adding that some of the teenagers had given birth to differently abled children as they have been victims of various types of diseases,” he said.
He said the programmes would be implemented in the estate sector too as there too people faced economic hardships, women were victims of abusive male family members and there was a lack of sanitary facilities and security.
Meanwhile highlighting another area Sumitra Fernando a lawyer attached to the Women In Need organisation said, “We as an organisation that addresses issues faced by women in our society, come across many instances where female workers are sexually harassed. To get a promotion, an increment or even to get leave they are made to go on a date, a night out or even perform sexual activities.”
She said victims were reluctant to talk about their issues and seek help. “This issue needs to be addressed as these women are traumatised and need counselling.”
Since sexual harassment at workplaces is mostly prevalent in the industrial sector, the Ministry will be conducting awareness programmes in the industrial zones in Gampaha, Galle, Kurunegala and Anuradhapura. Rs 5000 million has been allocated for the implementation of these programmes, a ministry official said.
In addition the Ministry of Child Development and the National Institute of Social Development will introduce the Tamil medium to the one year diploma course in Women and Politics that was introduced in 2011.
Social workers, members of women’s societies and those who have successfully completed the A/L examination were selected to follow this course. Ministry sources said it was positive to see that for this year’s course there were 43 applicants compared to last year’s 17. The ministry said the government has allocated Rs. 1.2 million for the Sinhala medium course and Rs. two million for the Tamil medium course while accommodation would be provided for the selected applicants.
Women’s Day Temple Tree way
The event was to mark International Women’s Day that fell on Friday, the venue Temple Trees. About 100 invitees were seen standing outside Temple Trees, near Beira Lake in the scorching sun partaking of lunch from packets. This proceeded a ceremony in the Temple Trees conducted by the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs where First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa was the chief guest.
Eating their lunch in the scorching sun. Pic by Susantha Liyanawatte
Themed “Protect her who protects the family” the event focused mainly on the mothers in the country. The entertainment contained a not so great song sung by students of the National Youth Services Council or rather lip synced a dance performance by the team of Joint Command Headquarters of Civil Security Department, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu and the highlight was a dance item and a moving song ‘Mother’ by Mekala Gamage, who had lost the sight of both eyes.In her keynote address Senior Professor Kshanika Hirimburegama, Chairperson of the University Grants Commission said a single day was not enough to commemorate the importance of women while adding why there isn’t a day for men to mark the importance of men too.
“The main challenge faced by women, both rural and urban, is that she happens to become the subject of violence by unnecessary male dominance in society. This is an obstacle to peace and development of a family,” she said adding that women who are victims of such circumstances may face violence and oppression. She said it was sad that Sri Lanka was a country that earned its foreign exchange by sending women to serve in lower level employment in other countries.
She said that another area where women fall victim was at work places. “The unfair, male dominant behaviour of some male authorities and officers in the working place should be addressed. This situation can be minimised by empowering women with knowledge and savoir faire,” she said. Fifteen outstanding women were presented awards by Mrs. Rajapaksa and Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs Tissa Karaliyadda for their work towards the upliftment of society.
Among the awardees were Dr. Hemamalini Perera who treats autistic children, Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabhakaran, S. Siriyawathi for her voluntary work to save lives by guarding an unprotected railway crossing at Palugaswewa and netball player Tharjini Sivalingam. Minister Karaliyadda said according to statistics gathered by the ministry there are 69.1% female teachers, 43.4% female doctors, 13.2% female engineers, 35.4% female administrators while of the 67% female university students 40% made up female law students.
He further added that there was no need for women in our country to go abroad and work in unfavorable conditions and earn only Rs. 25,000 rupees when she could stay in the country and earn Rs. 13,000 or more. “This has become a trend now. When one female goes abroad everyone else wants to follow,” he said. The minister also said it was unfortunate there are some women in high positions who preyed on innocent village girls by coaxing them to go into the sex trade.
Ranil takes up women’s cause
UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed on Thursday a committee to monitor and inquire into abuse and violence against women. The committee comprising Priyanee Wijesekara (Chairperson), Anberiya Hanif, Kumushini Samuel, Savithri Wijesekara, Shanthi Savithananda, Chulani Kodikara, Shreen Saroor and Indrani Iriyagolla will handover their report to Mr. Wickremesinghe in six months time.
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