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| Sunday, 15 August 2004 |
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Call for greater role for women in local govt. Sri Lanka's appalling record in the area of gender equality in politics and governance at the grassroots will be the focus of a unique national summit of women in Colombo later this month. More than 300 women from predominantly rural backgrounds will air grievances, share experiences and call for measures to encourage better representation for women in local government at this summit, organised by the South Asia Partnership - Sri Lanka (SAPSRI) as part of a three-year program funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The key issue driving the event's theme is the fact that women, who make up 52 per cent of the population of the island, represent an abysmal 1.97 per cent of overall local government in stark contrast to the rest of South Asia. In neighbouring India and Pakistan, females represent 33 per cent of local government, in Bangladesh 30 per cent of local government representatives are women while the figure for Nepal is 20 per cent. "Sri Lanka appears to be one of the most backward in the world when it comes to providing the opportunities and environment for women to participate in local government," says SAPSRI Executive Director Dr. Padma Ratnayake, pointing out that of the country's 3902 members of Pradeshiya Sabha, Urban and Municipal Councils, only 77 are women. The Women's Summit which takes place at the BMICH on August 26, will seek to make policymakers, activists and the public take notice of this dubious distinction, create awareness of the need for change and identify what can be done to give women a greater share of responsibility at the grass roots level, she said. In Sri Lanka the SARPPP has concentrated its efforts in seven Pradeshiya Sabha areas; Attanagalla, Thirappane, Vilachchiya, Madyama Nuwara Gam Palatha, Mihintale, Dambulla and Galewela, where total female representation in local government was two out of 81. The success of these efforts has not been tested due to the fact that local government elections have not been held in these areas in the past three years. "An important aspect of the Women's Summit will be the participation of the mass media, whose representatives will be the chief guests at this event," Dr. Ratnayake said. "One segment of the day's program will focus on the role and responsibilities of the media in creating awareness and encouraging women to enter politics at local government level," she added. Established in 1981, SAPSRI is a non-profit development organisation which is a constituent member of an international network of non-governmental organisations operating in Bangladesh, Canada, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This network has expanded to cover thousands of village-based organisations in South Asia. The SAP system is brought together under the umbrella of SAP International located in Sri Lanka. |
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