by Nadira GUNATILLEKE
Possessing a dignified attitude for women
According to a latest report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF),
Sri Lanka is placed 12th in the ranking of world's Gender Gap scale. Norway
is the country with the narrowest gender gap in the world while Yemen has
the widest of the 130 countries taken for the survey. Sri Lanka is aheae of
United States (27th), France (15th) and many other developed countries.
Here we have many things to talk about. Let us start with a news item which
appeared in the front page in a newspaper! Here Sri Lanka has set a record
defeating the world's giant, U.S. and the most powerful countries such as
France. This is not the first time we defeated them. But the news appears on
page one in only one English daily and page three in another.
That was it. There are nearly ten English dailies and weekend newspapers in
Sri Lanka and many of FM radio channels and television channels! None of
them saw it as a front page story. This shows how they see and treat Sri
Lankan women. We can very clearly see where we need drastic changes.
The second fact is why cannot Sri Lanka go to the International level with
this type of top records. This latest record is the best answer that can be
given to the NGOs and other organisations which try to draw a gloomy picture
of Sri Lankan woman at the international level.
The asylum seekers use 'violence/discrimin ation against women' in Sri Lanka
in a very bad way to enter foreign countries and obtain citizenship.
There is a direct connection with this latest record set by Sri Lanka and
the respect and protection for human rights existing in Sri Lanka. Without
proper human rights records, Sri Lanka would not have been able to set this
record because gender gap and human rights have a connection. We cannot
forget that most of the women's rights are human rights.
This record shows the possibility of Sri Lanka reaching the top or the first
five countries with the narrowest gender gap in the world.
At the moment Sri Lanka is doing very well in many fields except in
politics. But the most important field is politics because all the other
fields depend on politics which give women the power to go into the decision
making process of the country.
Therefore it is very important for Sri Lankan women to increase their
representation in politics and especially in Parliament.
Without adequate women at top decision making level (in the Parliament), Sri
Lankan women will never be able to narrow the gender gap further.
Acquiring permanent places/percentages in all top decision making levels in
Sri Lanka should be the aim of all Sri Lankan women.
Here comes the burning issue. Although Sri Lanka has set this record for the
second consecutive time and we talk about our female community with pride,
still there are plenty of women in Sri Lanka who do not get equal treatment
at their homes, work places and in some institutions.
It is true that we Sri Lankan women are much ahead of Indian and other South
East Asian women but still there are serious problems.
This fact has to be brought into the notice of all and should be discussed
openly. The Gender gap cannot be narrowed further without addressing these
issues.
In the ancient Sri Lanka women had been treated like queens and the mother
had a very strong say in her family.
At present the most affected group is working mothers. They play many roles
at once under very heavy pressure. In Sri Lanka there are working mothers
who work at offices, factories, look after the babies, elders and sick in
the family, do the cooking, cleaning, washing and also entertaining their
husbands.
The problem is she has no say within the family when it comes to child
bearing, in her work place and even when she get harassed by perverts while
travelling by public transport.
The tragedy is many of them do not have an idea that they should have a say
and certain television channels try their best to make them believe that
they should bear up all types of discriminations, abuse and even sexual
harassment.
--
Battula Karthik Navayan, Advocate, 18-434/3 Thirumala Colony Shadnagar,
Mahaboobnagar District, 509216-AP Cell:09347506219,
email:navayan@gmail. com
http://karthiknavay an.blogspot. com/
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