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Eight women SSPs: Major gender victory in Police Dept.
For the first time in its 150-year history, and after a hard-fought battle, the Sri Lanka Police have promoted eight women to Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) where there was earlier vacancy for just one.
In another giant leap, the Police Department, with National Police Commission (NPC) backing, has sought approval from the Finance Ministry’s Management Services Department to introduce a slot for one female Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) and two female Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIG). There have never before been women in such positions.
Till the end of 2016, there were only two openings in the 85,000-strong police force for women in Superintendent of Police (SP) Grade II. That year, it was increased to four. There were 15 cadre vacancies for women Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) and this was raised by just one to 16.
There was no career progression beyond the rank of SP, except to reach the sole SSP chair set aside for women. There were no cadre positions for women DIGs and Senior DIGs. And there could never be a woman Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The latest developments are the result of a protracted struggle by senior policewomen, some of whom petitioned the Supreme Court in 2016 in a case that is now likely to reach settlement. The women, who were ASPs at the time, pleaded “unfair and inexplicable discrimination” despite them performing duties similar to their male counterparts and counting the same number of years in service.
Thilina Jayawardena, Nishani Seneviratne, Renuka Jaysundere, Padmini Weerasooriya, Dharshika Kumari and Deemathi Periyapperuma have now received SSP promotions backdated to January 1, 2018. Imesha Muthumala and Madara Ariyasena’s promotions were backdated to March 11, 2018.
The NPC, to which the women officers repeatedly appealed, pushed their demands for several years. Efforts intensified after the Department in October last year promoted 102 SPs to the rank of SSP but excluded the women. The matter was resolved largely owing to Acting IGP Chandana Wickramaratne’s conviction that women deserve equal status provided they fulfil the requirements.
“Even when he was handling administration, he backed our demands and made it clear that they couldn’t be ignored,” said a recently-promoted SSP. “He also held the position that the Supreme Court case must be settled.”
There is still work to be done. “We want to try and have 15 percent across the board for women in the Police Department,” said Savithri Wijesekera, an NPC Commissioner who took a personal interest in the matter. “Eventually, the appointment of one or two female DIGs can be achieved when the current SSPs fulfil the relevant criteria.”
As far back as June 2006, under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration, Cabinet gave approval for 15 percent of the approved cadre to be reserved for women officers serving in all grades other than technical. It did not specify the rank. The Department attempted to comply but did not make provision for promotions.
“We are also trying to have non-gender based cadre allocations for Chief Inspector (CI) and above,” Ms Wijesekera said. “So we are in discussion to remove the men/women allocation separation so that both will chase the same criteria regardless of gender.”
There is now a possibility that some of the promoted women will be assigned divisions (administrative areas with typically around 10 police stations) as a pilot project to test efficacy. Some of them already hold positions of power such as a Director of the Bribery Commission and Director Research and Development.