Children's, Women's Rights Charter in the offing - Minister Tissa Karalliyadda

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadda says the forum set up with the representation of both Government and Opposition women Parliamentarians has set a very good example to the country and it will voice right of women in and outside the Parliament. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer stressed the importance of having more women in politics to minimise the harassment faced by women and children. He said the Ministry is in the process of formulating a Children's Rights Charter and intends to introduce a women's charter as well.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: What are the significant measures introduced or achieved by your Ministry so far?

A: In order to safeguard the children, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has launched a 24-hour hotline service. It began receiving complaints within 24 hours regarding various child abuse cases and other acts of harassment against children. Once we received complaints, the NCPA with the help of the Police will immediately provide relief measures and other legal assistance to the children who were subjected to such harassment. The NCPA has also received complaints that child abuse takes place in certain school service vans.

Therefore, the NCPA held a discussion with the chairman and the representatives of the School Vans Association including drivers and the vehicle owners as well. A special permit with the recommendation of the NCPA has been issued with a sticker to be fixed in these vans. It was this Association which had a special interest in this issue and requested the NCPA to implement this program. The members of the Association were of the view that the image of their Association could be tarnished due to such acts by a few van drivers. We also hope to seek the assistance of the Private Passenger Transport Minister C.B. Ratnayake towards this program.

The Justice Ministry has set up a special Juvenile Court at Thalangama for children. This is a centre established for the children to express their views and move freely which is completely different from a normal court. The Ministry has also decided to present a special Cabinet paper to extend the present 18-year age limit for women seeking foreign employment up to 20 years. The Foreign Employment Promotion Ministry will take the lead in implementing this program. We will also formulate a program to hand over the children of women going abroad to responsible persons until they return to the country.

The caretaker will look into all the needs of those children including their education, health and security. Attempts made by women to go to various Middle East countries to earn money had affected the country's culture. Even if a lot of foreign exchange is earned, it would be useless if the culture of the country is eroded. Instead of following the traditional methods, the Ministry has laid emphasis on empowering women through the adaptation of new initiatives. As a country which is mainly dependent on agriculture, assistance will be given to women who engage in the rural agriculture and animal husbandry sectors to further develop their industries.

Q: There was a talk earlier of introducing a Children's Rights Charter as well as a Women's Rights Charter. What is the progress in this regard?

A: We are in the process of formulating the Children's Rights Charter. It has not yet been completed. The final touches to this charter will be made after a comprehensive study. The Ministry intends to introduce a similar Charter for Women as well. We should go for a systematic program at grass roots level to educate the entire society. But it won't be an easy task. In addition, steps should be taken to educate the children as well. Initially this program should be commenced from home by properly identifying the role of the father and the mother.

Sometimes children are neglected by the parents as they are busy with their work. They don't have time to think of children. Then children become helpless and face harassments even in certain daycare centres. When action is taken to prevent such incidents, we have to introduce new legislation and strictly implement the law. But inadequate punishment is given in Sri Lanka for those committing such offences. In future stern laws will have to be brought against parents who neglect their children as well.

Q: Is there a decline in the number of child abuse, cases in the country?

A: There is a slight decline in the use of child labour and use of children for begging. Amidst the conflict which prevailed in the country over the past 30 years, the people always focused their attention on that. These issues were not properly highlighted in the society. Now these incidents are highlighted in the media daily. All acts of harassments faced by women are not entirely committed by men. Sometimes women are behind these incidents.

These instances of child abuse and sexual and physical harassments are committed by men and women. We are trying our best to educate the society to prevent such incidents. I think the conduct of high level seminars is not a solution to prevent these incidents. Some non-governmental and voluntary organisations spend a lot of money to conduct seminars at five-star hotels to educate the people. But many who attend are not those who really should be educated. Conducting seminars has become a fad today. Some voluntary organizations do not provide allocations to our Ministry for its urgent requirements. Most of the voluntary organisations are not willing to provide allocations to set up preschools. But some organisations have immensely helped us to set up preschools in the North and the East and others parts of the country.

Q: Child malnutrition is a problem in some areas of the country. Are you addressing the problem along with the Health Ministry?

A: The Health Ministry has implemented a separate program to reduce malnutrition. The Mahinda Chinthana has pledged to provide a glass of fresh milk to the children. In some areas, we have faced problems in collecting fresh milk.

So I have proposed to select housewives from each Grama Niladari division and implement a program to provide them with milch cows. This would help to provide fresh milk to the preschool children from that respective area. In addition to this, the Ministry of Health is engaged in a massive task to reduce malnutrition among children.

Q: What is the progress with regard to the rehabilitation of ex-LTTE child cadres?

A: The rehabilitation of ex-LTTE cadres is an example given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the entire world. What the LTTE displayed to the world and what they practically did were completely different. Finally the entire world could know the ruthless terrorist activities committed by the LTTE.

The President decided to rehabilitate child soldiers and educate them. Most of them are talented.

Most of these rehabilitated children have been mobilised back to the society. Sections of the international community and some voluntary organisations should also be held responsible for supporting the LTTE which recruited child soldiers.

Q: The Government has banned many child sex and pornographic websites originating from Sri Lanka. How successful is this program? Have any arrest been made?

A: Various such websites were banned and some people were arrested. Legislations regarding this should be formulated. Otherwise we have no possibility of completely banning these pornographic sites. If we ban these sites without stern laws, there are various avenues for those engaged in these activities to continue them.

Q: We have noticed that a lot of women who go to the Middle East have been abused. Are you working with the Foreign Employment Ministry for the welfare of these women?

A: There are a series of programs which are jointly implemented by the Child Development and the Women's Affairs Ministry and Foreign Employment Promotion Ministry. We should introduce stern rules and regulations on various private sector agencies which send women to the Middle East. These laws should have legal provisions to vest full responsibility in that particular private sector agency if a woman they send to a Middle East country suffers abuse.

It is better not to send our women to Middle East countries as domestic workers. What we should do is to train them here and provide them employment with a good salary. Sometimes women who go to the Middle East return without any money, facing severe harassment. Husbands should also be determined not to send their wives as slaves to Middle East countries. Instead of just sending women abroad, a comprehensive study should be made on how many women who went to the Middle East have gained. As far as I am aware most of these women have returned to with pain and agony.

Q: There are many cases of mothers abandoning or killing babies and very young children. Any steps taken to address this issue?

A: I wanted to introduce a program to look after children abandoned by the parents. But a huge financial allocation is needed to implement such a program.

Such a program could encourage people to commit such brutal acts.

Therefore, I had to give up that program. Most of these babies murdered by women have been born due to result of various illegal affairs. This is a dangerous situation developing in the country. We can not say that these incidents are take place entirely due to poverty. Such incidents take place within rich families as well.

Q: The International Women's Day is on March 8. What are the programs lined up in this connection?

A: The Ministry has made arrangements to celebrate the World Women's Day on March 8 at the BMICH under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa. In addition to this national event, ceremonies will be held at district level to mark the Women's Day. The theme of this year's Women's Day is 'Her Knowledge and Strength to Build the Nation'. All present programs conducted by the Ministry will be held.

Q: Has the Ministry implemented any special programs for the women and children affected by floods?

A: We have not implemented a special program for the flood affected women and children. However, the Ministry has provided maximum relief measures to the people in flood affected areas.

After these people will go back to their homes, the Ministry will look into the urgent requirements of these women and children. In addition, the President has allocated Rs. 33 billion to rebuild the areas devastated by floods. This includes the provision of fertiliser, seeds and other required facilities to women who have engaged in the agriculture sector to strengthen their economy.

Q: The Local Polls are scheduled to be held on March 17. What can be done to get more women involved in politics and decision making at village level?

A: It was Sri Lanka which produced the world's first Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Sri Lanka also had a female President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

We have also produced several prominent female politicians in the political arena like Vivienne Gunawardena and Kusala Abeygunawardena. We can't get women into politics by force. It must come from them and it should be done with honesty.

Women in rural societies did not come forward to engage in politics. Compared to some countries in the region which have imposed strict rules and restrictions on women, there is freedom for women in Sri Lanka.

Women hold top positions in State and private sector establishments. The representation of women in Parliament is minimal. In my electorate also I tried to give more opportunity to women candidates to contest the Local Polls.

But only four women candidates came forward to contest. There are more women candidates at this Local Government polls.

As a very significant development, both the Government and Opposition female Parliamentarians have formed a forum. This is a good example to the country.

I hope through this forum they will raise a voice both in and outside the Parliament for women's rights.

Q: Why should more women enter into politics?

A: They can work to minimise the acts of harassment faced by women and children.

I think this Parliamentary Forum can play a vital role to prevent such instances.