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| Sunday, 31 August 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Employment issues top the list at Gender Complaints Centre By Jayanthi Liyanage A young woman employed in the free trade zone found herself being unduly harassed by her superior officer frequently asking her out for sexual favours. Being aware of her rights as a woman, she took a step that many would not have thought of.
While this story shows a positive outcome regarding the acceptance of a woman's rights, there are many other stories which do not. Last year, at the Gender Complaints Centre (GCC) of the National Committee of Women (NCW) of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, complaints on employment and promotions were the highest, at 19. The year before, this category had 105 complaints. At the close of the 18 months after the inception of GCC in May 1999, it was the highest reported category, numbering 240. Other categories recording high reportage are divorce and maintenance, and sexual harassment and domestic violence. One reason for the relatively low reportage of rape and sexual harassment at GCC, as its Legal Advisor, P. Pathiranage points out is that women usually resort to its help when police action fails to achieve redress. GCC generally assists women bringing in lesser complaints involving gender discrimination in many areas and refers the complainants needing actual legal help to the Legal Aid Commission which offers them free legal aid. In monitoring such complaints, GCC has detected obvious areas in violations of women's rights which are not adequately covered by the law, thus requiring new provisions for equity and fairer dispensing of justice. The much-awaited Women's Bill, which would legally empower the Women's Charter and infuse the component of gender in national policy making, is now under scrutiny at the Legal Draftsman's Department. Why address gender in state policies at all?
"Since the moment a man or a woman is born, she has a right to life," explains Indrani Iriyagolla, Chairperson, NCW. "The purpose of the Women's Bill is to facilitate that right and enable her a more fulfilled living in the seven areas of political and civil rights, rights within the family, right to education and training, right to economic activity and benefits, right to health care and nutrition, right to protection from social discrimination and right to protection from gender-based violence. Gender is a primary concern and a special section mandated to NCW." An activist with many years of experience who has served as Vice President International Alliance of Women and Chairperson of Civil and Political Commission, and currently the Trainer and Consultant on Human Resource Development, Gender and Development and Small Enterprises, she brings up the fact that if the State intervenes by linking gender to the policy matters, the public will sit up and take note of it. "Otherwise, no mater how many letters we will write to employers and the relevant authorities in instances where women's rights have been violated, it is very likely that even an acknowledgement will not be sent to us." At a recent workshop, officers from a well-known private bank in Colombo commented that they did not want young women recruited to the bank on the basis, that in a couple of years, they would get married and go on maternity leave. "Is it a crime to produce children?" asked Mrs. Iriyagolla. "If women did not produce children, you would have no nation. The bank should know to appoint relief persons on behalf of women on maternity leave, as is the practice in other countries." NCW has deployed "violence-sensor" groups as a pilot project in districts which have recorded high numbers of gender violations. "Even if they cannot prevent violations, at least their presence in these districts will bring perpetrators to heel," reasons Mrs. Iriyagolla. "Once the Women's Act becomes law, NCW will be empowered with certain investigative powers and a mechanism to give redress. We will not intrude into a court of law, but in the multifarious issues concerning women, we will be able to exert pressure to remove gender discriminations." The new law will create a Women's Executive Commission and a Women's Advisory Council. "The latter will be the voice of women in the country. It would propose new policies for women so that we could become a part of the national process," she says. We are very much legally handicapped to tackle gender discrimination in employment and promotions, Mrs. Iriyagolla points out. "If a woman is deprived of a promotion because she did not respond to the advances of a superior officer, the charges would be sexual harassment, deprivation of opportunity and violation of the dignity of person. And there goes human rights and fundamental rights out of the window!" "You do this for me and I'll do that for you" kind of attitude is not what is now accepted in civilised society, she insists. "Often, the discriminated woman feels 'Kiyala Wedak Ne!' (It is no use speaking about my plight. No one will help!" How often one finds that a woman, capable of advancement in career, is allowed to go up the career ladder only to a certain level but not beyond ? That nullifies the true fulfilment of her aspirations and abilities, and she is made subordinate to the tyranny of a privileged few. "While the Government is trying to infuse the gender element in all state policies by the 'Regaining Sri Lanka' document, such practices to the contrary could very much defeat the nation's attempts to move towards equality for all," protests Mrs. Iriyagolla. Another question is how do we free the desired positive image of woman from the negative and subordinate sexual nuances one often sees in the consumerist, profiteering media in a free economy? "The open economy is one of the most dangerous economies in this set of culture with its erosion of values," Mrs. Iriyagolla observes. "But we cannot get rid of it or stop it. We have to flow in the stream. While the commercial sector is trying to bring in sharper profit focus in commercialising a product, we need to impose a certain amount of controls and a code of ethics to prevent violation of the rights of women. If, at least, there are certain guidelines, we would still be better off than we are now. I am not condemning the open economy but we must be prepared for the large number of social evils it can bring with it." As in war, women are the first victims in a liberalised economy if state authorities do not watch out. The temptation to make "quick money" from prostitution, trafficking and narcotics is much greater in such an unshackled environment as we move towards seeking better opportunities to expand commerce and tourism. That is where carefully thought out controls and guards must be enforced to prevent exploitation and debasing the dignity and intellect of a woman, specially in the underprivileged sectors of society. "The charter does not directly specify guards towards reducing negative social attitudes. For example, a divorcee or a single parent is portrayed in media as a person of less value and who can be played with. While we at the NCW is asked to reduce such images, on the other hand, electronic media acts to the contrary." "What kind of a woman do we like to see in the 21st century?" questions Mrs. Iriyagolla, spelling out the possible aspects to the ideal for the contemporary woman whether rural or urban. "A woman who has opportunities to tackle her problems of day-to-day living of home, family, education and career, and achieving her aspirations. A woman fulfilled who is respected and could look forward to a better future." |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
Every time he invited her out, she discreetly made an entry at the
police station. By the time the officer fired her for not responding to
his advances, her complaints against him had risen to about ten.
Therefore, once court action was initiated on her behalf, she had had on
advantage and he quickly hushed up the matter by paying her compensation
in an out-of-court settlement.
