News
Concerns over lack of the voice of women in political arena
View(s):By Minaza Hassan
Sri Lankan women make up over 51% of the population as well as the number of registered voters; they contribute immensely to state revenue through tea and garment trades and inward foreign remittances; manage family budgets; and run homes, but in the political arena they remain but a footnote.
“The men in politics haven’t done anything meaningful for women in this country,” says 26-year-old primary school teacher from Colombo, Mariam Sadique. She is among several women that the SundayTimes spoke to on what women expect from political leaders.
Ms. Sadique said that it’s frustrating to see the same faces making empty promises, knowing that once they’re in power, they won’t lift a finger to help women. “My biggest concern is that women’s voices will continue to be ignored and our struggles will just get worse,” she said, adding that the current lot of politicians are more focused on finding ways to line their pockets than addressing real issues like reforming the MMDA (the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act), which has been controversial for its oppressive laws against women or the scrapping of period tax.
“I have had to reprioritise what essentials mean to me in this economy. I grew up wanting to be a teacher, and I’ve achieved that dream of mine, but I’ve had to cut down on so many things, since the teacher’s salary is not that great in Sri Lanka,” she said.
Thirty-year-old language trainer from Nittambuwa, Chathurika Jayathilaka, too feels that women are sidelined in the male-dominated political sphere in Sri Lanka.
“I want candidates to focus on gender equality at work, better education and healthcare for women, and policies that support working mothers, like affordable childcare. It’s also important to resolve gender-based violence, create more leadership opportunities for women, and ensure equal pay for equal work. Most of the time, women aren’t paid equally for the same qualification and amount of work,” she said.
Falina Sulaiman, a teacher and a mother of three children from Polonnaruwa, also shared her struggles and thoughts on this year’s election.
“Due to the country’s economic crisis, managing the family’s finances has proven to be very challenging, and my salary is not sufficient,” Ms. Sulaiman said.
Ms. Sulaiman, who juggles household responsibilities along with her career as a teacher despite her arthritis and diabetes medical conditions, said the government should bring equal rights to all women irrespective of race, ethnicity, and religion. ”I am sad about how women aren’t treated well enough in the working world and how they are exploited.”
Having worked as a government school teacher for over ten years, Ms. Sulaiman said it would be ideal if appointments were given in areas they live in instead of having to leave families and report to work in distant places. This would also prevent fuel wastage, she said.
The issue of harassment of women, particularly on public transport, was also of major concern. Ms. Sulaiman suggested that women should have separate seats in buses and more women drivers should also be trained for public transportation.
Ms. Mariam also held similar views and said women should have better protection against domestic abuse and marital rape, an issue that is not being addressed seriously.
Forty-two-year-old Thiloma Lenagala of an all girls’ school in Kegalle said her students’ attendance is low due to the prevailing high cost of living, transport issues. She also said education and, primarily, girls’ education are issues that need to be addressed more seriously by the leaders of the country.
“Buying sarees is expensive, and this is the teachers’ general attire. If I spend money on buying different sarees, I will not have money left for my kids’ education. However, as a teacher, it is also important for me to look presentable,” she said.
A housewife in Colombo, Shashna Ahmath, spoke about the economic hardships she faced. Her husband, who worked abroad, lost his job during the economic crisis, and she had to step up and look for jobs as well while managing the household responsibilities. “We struggled to find proper healthcare and other basic needs during this period,” she explained.
“My husband delivered food to survive, and finding a job was a big challenge for us during this time,” said Ms. Ahamath. Though her husband is back on his feet now, they still struggle with their medical needs, inefficient transport system, and educating the children.
She lamented about the lack of female candidates in the upcoming election. “There are so many educated and competent women in
Sri Lanka, perhaps more than men. However, they are scared to enter the workforce because they may get abused either by coworkers, higher officers, or simply when travelling to or from work. It is the responsibility of politicians to discipline the people in order to achieve gender equality,” she said.
A 39-year-old sales executive, Ganga Chathurangi, said that even though the workforce in general is male-dominated and competitive, it is necessary for more women to step up in politics. “Women deserve to be involved in the workforce, politics, etc. not merely because they are women but because they are citizens of this country,” she said.
Youth policy expert and former speaker of the Sri Lanka youth parliament, Sachinda Dulanjana, said that women politicians get judged more harshly than their male counterparts. “ When a woman in politics appears less competent, it is attributed to her gender, whereas it is not the same for men. The truth is not that women cannot engage in politics, but that we have never paved the way for the right women to enter political positions. This issue is similar for the youth as well. It’s not the absence of capable young leaders who can run a country, but the existence of a system that does not allow them to engage politically unless they have a political pedigree,” he said.
He said women should be involved in politics not just to make decisions about women’s issues, but because they are citizens who can represent all citizens in a democratic system.
The only female candidate at the 2019 presidential election, Dr. Ajantha Perera, who is a scientist and environmental activist, spoke on the challenges she has faced as a woman in the political arena.
“I tried to contest this year from the same party I contested previously, however, they did not give me a straight answer before finally denying me. Due to this issue, I was compelled to try to compete with another party,” she said.
Dr. Ajantha Perera came forward in the last presidential election, a woman candidate after 20 years. But her attempt to contest this time around was unsuccessful.
Explaining why she believed that more female voices should be a part of decision-making spaces, primary school teacher Ms. Sadique said, “Women bring different perspectives, especially on issues that affect us directly. Moreover, having more women in politics can inspire younger girls to dream big and know that their voices matter.”
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!