News
Push to ban mothers of five-year-olds from taking overseas jobs
Ms Kumarasinghe Pic by Indika Handuwala
Women and Child Affairs State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe has vowed to continue her campaign to ban mothers of children below five years from leaving for overseas employment.
Ms Kumarasinghe told the Sunday Times in an interview, she has not changed her mind and that two-year-olds cannot communicate if they are abused.
Referring to the increasing rates of child abuse, she blames mothers who leave for jobs overseas and fathers who become drug addicts.
She said she asked the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) to take immediate steps to tackle child abuse.
As for corporal punishment, considering recent incidents in which teachers, parents and the Police had assaulted and abused school children, she said is against physical, or mental harm.
She also spoke of a proposal to provide food rations worth Rs 2,000 for pregnant women six months before and four months after they give birth.
She said the Government must empower women to breastfeed children, saying breastfed children are healthier and less likely to be malnourished. Speaking about laws to protect women, she said she has proposed to set up a room with a woman constable in every Police Station to allow sexually abused women to file complaints without fear. She said protecting women’s dignity and privacy is a priority for her.
Statistics show that two in every five women are emotionally, physically, economically, or sexually abused in their lifetime by their partner, she said, and it is necessary to make it easier for women to take legal action. (See interview on www.timesonline.lk)
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!