Plaudits for Lanka, in Progress of Women UN report

UN women's first flagship report has identified that limits on women's participation in the workforce cost the South Asian economy an estimated US$89 billion every year.

Launching the report in New Delhi, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Lakshmi Puri said "From our comprehensive review of laws on violence against women, it is clear that where laws are in place on issues such as domestic violence, prevalence tends to be lower and fewer people think that violence against women is justifiable".

The report 'Progress of the World's Women: In Pursuit of Justice', from the newly set up UN arm, UN Women has given special recognition to Sri Lanka as one of the few countries that criminalise domestic violence, sexual harassment and marital rape under their legal system.

It has however, criticised the lack of opportunity for women in the highest office of state.

'On average women hold a meagre 7 percent ministerial posts and 15 percent in national parliaments in all nine countries in the region.

The report says the figure is as low as 6 percent in Sri Lanka.

It has also pointed out that women account for nearly two third of the one million Sri Lanka's international migrant workers many of whom are employed in the Gulf region as domestic help.

The report says almost all countries in South Asia now ensure gender equality in their constitutions but nevertheless across the region, women do more unpaid work than men.

There are 50 million home-based workers, of whom four out of five are women. The majority of women are farm workers.

More than 80 percent of women in the region continue to rely on vulnerable employment poorly protected by law.

The report has recommended employing more policewomen, legal aid and awareness, creating specialised courts and gender sensitive law reforms among other things to offer 'real equality' to women in the society.

MF